PRAYER FOLLOWING DISASTER FROM RABBI DR. JONATHAN SACKS

Burma,deadly tornadoes in Missouri, Oklahoma, Georgia, and now the earthquake in China. I'm not going to upload any pics, you've seen them all already in the news, but I am going to give you a little prayer to say. This is by the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks who wrote this prayer following the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. I hope he doesn't mind, but I'm leaving the the words,"...the tidal wave.." out and you can fill in the blanks.

I don't think Rabbi Sacks would mind terribly if we included not only natural, but man made disasters we are seeing daily throughout the world since we are a part of nature, including the war in Iraq, man's inhumanity to man in general, man's lack of stewardship towards the environment and personally, I'm going to add the 600 nuns arrested in Tibet for protesting. I believe a Buddist tradition following a prayer is to actually do a good deed afterwards, which is supposed to make the prayer even more powerful.



Adon ha-olamin, Sovereign of the universe,

We join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world, for the victims of_____________ which this week has brought destruction and disaster to many lands and many lives.

Almighty God, we pray you, send healing to the injured, comfort to the bereaved, and news to those who sit and wait. May you be with those who even now are engaged in the work of rescue. May you send Your strength to those who are striving to heal the injured, give shelter to the homeless, and bring food and water to those in need. May You bless the work of their hands, and may they merit to save lives.

Almighty god, we recognise how small we are, and how powerless in the face of nature when its full power is unleashed. Therefore, open our hearts in prayer and our hands in generosity, so that our words may bring comfort and our gifts bring aid. Be with us now and with all humanity as we strive to mend what has been injured and rebuild what has been destroyed. Ken Yehi Ratzon, ve-nomar Amen.

~ Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks



Okay, dominus vobiscum everyone.