A PRAYER FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY BUSHFIRE AND DROUGHT

Eternal God,
In wisdom and love
you created our earth
to sustain us and give us life.
We turn to you now
in faith, hope and love,
asking you to look with favour
on our fire-ravaged and drought-stricken land,
on our starving and
displaced animals,
on our failing crops and burning
farms, towns and forests.
Strengthen, sustain and give new heart
to our farmers
and to all who are affected by drought;
be with those who support them.
Strengthen and comfort the victims of the fires,
those who have lost family, friends, property and stock.
Protect our volunteer firefighters and all members of essential services.
In your loving providence,
send abundant rain to quench the fires
and to restore our parched earth.
Father of all compassion,
hear our prayer
through Jesus Christ your Son,
in whom the promise of new life
has dawned, and
through the power
of the Holy Spirit,
the Lord the giver of life:
Renew your faithful people;
Renew the face of the earth.
Our Lady of the Southern Cross,
Mary, help of Christians –
Pray for us.
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop –
Pray for us.

(NOTE: Special collection for St Vinnies Bushfire Appeal Australia Day Weekend Masses)