Patriarch asks faithful to pray for rain

In a letter addressed to the faithful of the diocese, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal has asked one and all to pray for rain. The letter, sent out on November 28, 2013, asks the parishes to pray for rain especially on the first Sunday of Advent, which falls on Sunday, December 1.

The letter says: “Rain is late in our holy land and the threat of drought is hanging over us. In times of drought we must pray that God might bless us and have mercy on us and provide us with our needs, especially rain and remove from our land the evil of drought.

Therefore we address you all to pray and intercede to God almighty and all powerful that He might take away the plague of drought from our land and remember us in our trouble, that He might lighten the drought and water us with rains and resuscitate our land, all plants and animals and all we have. Before us we have the example of Elijah the prophet who prayed at the time of drought and his prayer was answered (1Kings 18:41-45).

We ask that the first Sunday of Advent, which falls on December 1, 2013, might be a day of prayer and intercession for this intention. May the Lord answer our prayer and receive our devotion, our fast and our submission and shower on us His blessings.”