As we nurture the spirit of URI, let us renew the power of prayer and positive intention that unites our global community and awakens our hearts and souls. See the full series of posts here.
Selected Prayers for Relief from Drought
We all share a planet and a need for water and sustenance. Below are a few selections of prayers for relief from drought, as people from different faith traditions lift their voices together.
Interfaith
“Oh God, despite our seriously different traditions, we, the people of faith, are here together in perfect unity and harmony, with unified hearts and with a common resolution to ask you for relief from drought. … We trust in You, God, and You know our needs.”
High school student, Nevada, USA
Indigenous
With the ancestors’ permission, I call upon you Creator in the love and in the light of the source of life; rejoicing in the power and the peace braided with the cords of patience, revealing the tapestry of love. In this spirit of love we celebrate the rains that are blessing our lands that are in need of the sacred waters. We thank you Great Spirit for these rains that are flowing in harmony with the land and all of nature in the San Francisco Bay area. With the ancestors’ permission, I thank you for providing all that we need to be in perfect balance. I thank you for acknowledging our prayers on this day. To show our gratefulness to our Creator, Mother of the Waters and Healer of Healers we make this humble offering in love and in gratitude.
This prayer contains words from ancestor, Mr. Hale Makua of Big Island Hawaii and ancestor, Gray Wolf of Alaska.
Catholic
Almighty God, we are in need of rain. We realize now, looking up into the clear, blue sky, what a marvel even the least drop of rain really is. To think that so much water can really fall out of the sky, which now is empty and clear! We place our trust in You. We are sure that You know our needs. But You want us to ask you anyway, to show You that we know we are dependent on You. Look to our dry hills and fields, dear God, and bless them with the living blessing of soft rain. Then the land will rejoice and rivers will sing Your praises, and the hearts of all will be made glad. Amen.
Prayer for Rain from the National Catholic Rural Life Conference - Rural Life Prayer Book
Christian Science
In her textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” Mrs. Eddy writes: “Knowing the Science of creation, in which all is Mind and its ideas, Jesus rebuked the material thought of his fellow-countrymen: ‘Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” This Mind and its ideas refer to God and His creation.
We’ll never find harmony and the kingdom of God in the material scene, yet we can expect to find the material scene harmonizing as we look to God’s omnipotence. Through prayer, we can take possession of our thinking by lifting thought and expectations to God. This proves to be far more effective than diving into a problem. Throughout the Bible, we find wonderful examples of gentle rain and food provided, storms calmed, and the sea parted, by just such prayer.
Islam
Known as “Salatul Istisqa,” the Islamic prayer is based on the appeal the Prophet Muhammad offered during a period of drought.
“O God, give us rain that will replenish us, abundant, fertilizing and profitable, not injurious,” the Islamic prayer states. “Grant it now without delay...Send down rain upon us and make it a source of strength and satisfaction."
"Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Rain down, I beseech Thee, from the clouds of Thine overflowing grace, that which shall cleanse the hearts of Thy servants from whatever may prevent their beholding Thy face, or may prevent them from turning unto Thee, that they may all recognize Him Who is their Fashioner and Creator. Help them, then, O God, to reach forth, through the power of Thy sovereign might, towards such a station that they can readily distinguish every foul smell from the fragrance of the raiment of Him Who is the Bearer of Thy most lofty and exalted name, that they may turn with all their affections toward Thee, and may enjoy such intimate communion with Thee that if all that is in heaven and on earth were given them they would regard it as unworthy of their notice, and would refuse to cease from remembering Thee and from extolling Thy virtues."
Zuni, Native American
Cover my earth mother four times with many flowers.
Let the heavens be covered with the banked-up clouds.
Let the earth be covered with fog; cover the earth with rains.
Great waters, rains, cover the earth. Lightening cover the earth.
Let thunder be heard over the earth; let thunder be heard;
Let thunder be heard over the six regions of the earth.
Zuni Prayer for Rain