www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Tsunami Victims

The world's worst earthquake in 40 years struck near Indonesia earlier today causing waves that have killed an estimate 10.000 people across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives and Bangladesh.

Let us remember in our prayers those unfortunate victims of this great calamity.

O God, You divided the waters of chaos at creation.
In Christ You stilled storms, raised the dead,
and vanquished demonic powers.
Tame the earthquake, wind, and fire,
and all the forces that defy control or shock us by their fury.
Keep us from calling disaster Your justice.
Help us, in good times and in distress,
to trust Your mercy and yield to Your power, this day and forever. Amen.

Prayerfully remembering all the victims,
+Fr. Gregory

Lord, have mercy on your children. Receive the souls of those who perished this day and comfort those who remain. Move the hearts of those who love you to be generous toward these people, giving freely of their time, talent, and treasure. Let your ineffable Light shine through the inpenetrable darkness of grief and tragedy.

Prayers for these poor folks. The death toll is climbing and is now worse than 11,000.

The death toll is now projected to exceed 20,000 and the actual number will likely be never known, given that many of the nations affected are not highly developed in systems that will make these figures readily discernable.

Prayers for the victims of this great disaster, may those who died be received by God into a place of light and love, where there is neither sorrow nor sighing, neither grief nor crying, but only life everlasting.

May the injured be healed quickly of their wounds and those who have lost everything be made whole by the grace of God and the generosity of mankind.

May the rescuers who face the grim task of dealing with the aftermath be comforted by the knowledge that the service they do to man will be rewarded by God.

May the nations of the world come together, putting aside their differences, to aid these devastated countries and peoples.

May the governments of the countries affected be inspired to install the types of available advance warning devices that reports suggest might have mitigated the loss of life, had they been in place.

Prayers + for the many.

james

Prayers for the many who were caught unawares by the tsunami(s), especially those in Sri Lanka where almost half of the casualties are now being interred.

Also, prayers for Thailand's King Bhumipol Adulyadej and the family of her daughter who apparently lost their American-born grandson and son, respectively, while water skiing when the tsunami hit the Thai island resort of Phi Phi.

Amado

Prayers...

Prayers for all.

Bless, Father Gregory,

Your prayer has also touched my soul today.

It was as if it spoke to me directly, as if you had me in mind when you posted it.

Alex

As we are now hearing of numbers of dead closer to 40,000, we must prayer even more fervently for their eternal memory and for the health of the survivors.

I urge everyone to give whatever they can to assist in the relief and reconstruction:

Caritas, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and International Orthodox Christian Charities(IOCC) are three highly reputable agencies of the Apostolic Churches. I'm sure that they will be responding with urgent despatch.

May the Lord have mercy on us all.

Andrew

The toll is now 44,000 (and expected to continue climbing), and the looting has begun.

Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

Prayer has been appointed so that the Lord God Himself should be honored. God requires we should recognize that He is, indeed, "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity" (Isa. 57:17). God requires that we shall own or acknowledge His universal dominion: in petitioning God for rain, Elijah did but confess His control over the elements; in praying to God to deliver a poor sinner from the wrath to come, we acknowledge that "salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9) ; in supplicating His blessing on the Gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth, we declare His rulership over the whole world.

Let us pray:

O Lord God look upon Your poor people with compassion and mercy and help us all to acknowledge Your sovereignty over all of Your creation. We have all sinned O Lord and we realize that Your anger has been stirred up against this world by our falling away from the Gospel and from acknowledging Your primacy over our world. Help each of us to repent deeply of our sinfulness and evil and stretch forth Your right hand in forgiveness and in consolation of Your peoples. Be present to each and every person who is mourning the loss of someone they loved who has been taken away by this horrible disaster and comfort Your people with faith and hope in You! Help us all to see the shortness of this life and the need to do everything possible to LOVE and FORGIVE everyone NOW...before it is too late. Give us generous hearts to help alleviate the pain and suffering of all around us and our world! Give us the desire and strength to be Your hands and Your heart in our world and so lift our brothers and sisters up until You come again. We ask for this, as we ask for all things, in the precious name of Jesus the Lord, Who with You and the Holy Spirit lives and rules as God now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.

In prayerful remembrance,
+Fr. Gregory

The estimated toll has passed more than 50,000 and keeps on rising, with Indonesia claiming 10,000+ casualties from 1 seaside village alone.

Btw, the news is now out that the German Chancellor and his entourage were in Sri Lanka and fortunately were spared from the calamity. The party has been "extracted" out by the German government.

Amado

I'm still shocked by this.

The scale of the devastation is truly enormous. Survivors are now coming home here - and I hope they get the support they will need when the realisation of how fortunate they were hits them.

Prayers for all

Anhelyna