A Collect for the victims of Hurricane Katrina

By Lonnie Lacy

During Morning Prayer September 1 at Virginia Theological Seminary, Lonnie Lacy, a senior M.Div student, offered the following collect for the victims of Hurricane Katrina:

God of all mercy, in the beginning your Holy Spirit brooded over the waters of the deep and turned chaos into life: Send that same life giving Spirit, we pray, to the displaced people of the Gulf Coast, that they may be delivered out of the waters of their own chaos and brought into safety; provide them with adequate medicine, dry shelter, and warm food; stand watch with those who are still alive yet remain unrescued, that their lives may be spared and their perseverance may not be in vain; bless all who are working to bring relief and rescue, that their coming in and their going out may be safe, fruitful, and secure; and finally, hear us as we commend to you those souls who faced Hurricane Katrina but could not survive her torment. In our common humanity, we cry out "kyrie eleison" through Jesus your Son, the Christ of Compassion. Amen.

Lonnie's prayer is posted on the Episcopal News Service's web site

What a beautiful collect. I post this for several reasons. Marcia, a fellow sister in our St. Sophia's Chapter of Daughters of the King in our parish, shared this with us this morning. The words offer comfort and and solace during a time where, for many, there is none.

The words also come from a young man who I remember was once a teenager in our diocese. His faith has always run deep in to his very being, and it was apparent back then. Out of this young man, who is now an adult, comes a prayer that can offered to all of us for those directly affected by this Hurricane of all Hurricanes, to those of us who sit by the sidelines.

Lonnie, if you read this, please know how very thankful I am that you offered from your heart and soul these words to our world. Your prayer touches many and can put into words that many of us know, but cannot express as eloquently as you. Thank you for this wonderful gift.

For those of you that read my blog, the focus usually leans usually to knitting - however the last two postings have focused on two people I know that are making a difference because of the past week's disaster. Two people at very different parts of their lives, but offering their part to those who have been affected. We have ALL been affected, as has been obvious from the television, the radio stations, newspapers, blogs, emails, and from those of us that count pennies and write prayers. Thanks to Lonnie, and below to Davis for being two of many.
Cathy