Oratio Imperata for Deliverance from Calamities

When a super typhoon threatens to hit our side of the country, with winds of about 215 kph, we can prepare for it by stocking up on food, fueling generators (we all know how BENECO shuts of all power the minute it drizzles) or buying up all the candles and firewood we can find, securing our vehicles, and fixing our roofs. But honestly, what can we really do if nature decides to unleash her fury twice within one week on a nation that is ill-prepared for calamities of any kind?

Our best recourse?

Prayer.

So here is the Oratio Imperata (Urgent Prayer) for Deliverance from Calamities that you may want to recite right along with a nation in fear of the worst.

Almighty Father, we raise our hearts to You in gratitude for the wonders of creation of which we are part, for Your Providence in sustaining our needs, and for Your Wisdom that guides the course of the universe.

We acknowledge our sins against You and the rest of creation.

We have not been good stewards of Nature.

We have confused Your command to subdue the Earth.

The environment is made to suffer our wrongdoing, and now we reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference.

Global warming is upon us, typhoons, floods, volcanic eruptions, and other natural calamities occur in increasing numbers and intensity.

We turn to You, our loving Father, and beg forgiveness for our sins.

We ask that we, our loved ones and our hard earned possessions be spared from the threat of calamities, natural and man-made.

We beseech You to inspire us all to grow into responsible stewards of Your creation, and generous neighbors to those in need.

Amen.

Typhoon Pepeng (Parma)

Baguio has experienced in recent years typhoons Feria and Igme, and we all remember how bad it was then. Manila experienced Milenyo and Ondoy in the same way, and many of the damage was not really caused by an act of God but through man’s abuse, greed and negligence.

Apart from folks insisting on living in riverbanks, even if they are aware of the dangers of doing so, and the government allows these dwellings and does nothing to educate the people and keep them safe. Developers of subdivisions do not provide adequate drainage and government contractors stinge on materials due to massive corruption.

Not too many people heed the saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” with the people focusing on relief instead of disaster prevention and preparedness.

But we have little time now to fix things that ought to have been righted years ago, when the sun was shining brightly and the birds were singing. Super typhoon Pepeng, internationally referred to as Parma will be upon us in one day, so please, urgent prayers are most needed now, that it changes direction, that it does not make landfall, that if it does, we do not suffer due to our negligence.

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If you want to see a forecast of the rains and winds coming in the next few days, the Baguio Weather page at Go Baguio! has a weather conditions indicator and a link to 5-day weather forecasts.

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