In working on Starck, there's a whole series of prayers regarding those who are in danger from conflagrations. I remember when I started working on them wondering how on earth people in this day and age would be able to relate to these. And then I remembered that there are still wild fires that occur from time to time. And now, these terrible fire storms out West. One of my flock has a sister and her family who were driven from their home by them, and it sounds as if the home were lost. So many thousands affected in the same way. Lord, have mercy! Starck's prayers are more pertinent than we realize - they shine every time the illusion breaks that we have things under our control. May Christ sustain His people in California through these difficult times.
23 October 2007
On Fires
In working on Starck, there's a whole series of prayers regarding those who are in danger from conflagrations. I remember when I started working on them wondering how on earth people in this day and age would be able to relate to these. And then I remembered that there are still wild fires that occur from time to time. And now, these terrible fire storms out West. One of my flock has a sister and her family who were driven from their home by them, and it sounds as if the home were lost. So many thousands affected in the same way. Lord, have mercy! Starck's prayers are more pertinent than we realize - they shine every time the illusion breaks that we have things under our control. May Christ sustain His people in California through these difficult times.
Being a survivor of the Oakland firestorm of 1991 (in which 25 lives and 3,000 homes were lost), I can assure you that the danger of fire is very, very real. Following the story of the current Southern California fires has shown Iris and me that the terror of that terrible day has not yet fully healed.
ReplyDeleteOur own home was not among those lost (Deo gratias), though for a time during our evacuation the news reports led us to believe that it had been lost. Between the 1991 firestorm and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, perhaps you can understand why, as much as we loved Oakland, we are just as happy to be here in New England.
Living in the most affluent and comfortable society the world has ever known, it is easy to forget how transitory this life is. But the words of the old English litany ring true:
From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death, Good Lord, deliver us.
Christopher,
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you all had suffered through that. Lord, have mercy! I'm sure it is bringing the nightmare back again.
Our litany similarly asks:
"From lightning and tempest; from all calamity by fire and water; and from everlasting death: Good Lord, deliver us!"
and
"In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death and in the day of judgment: Help us, good Lord!"
and
"To watch over all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation; to protect and guide all who travel... We implore You to hear us, good Lord!"
Yes, Christopher, it's a good day to pray the litany, and I thank you for reminding me of it.
We have friends down south, and so far they are not in the immediate path. Our relatives in Tahoe almost lost their house, but they sprayed it down. And luckily they cut back trees, even when the local council didn't want them to!
ReplyDeleteChris, I hear ya about the Oakland fire. I was in the city then, but that blaze was well seen right over the bay.
There is supposed to be a big quake coming for the Hayward fault, which I live almost right on.
As well as my human brothers and sisters I can't help but think about the animals that have died ....
ReplyDeleteI hope at least some of them were able to run and escape.