Prayer from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
The storm killed more than 1,800 people and displaced millions from their homes
LOUISVILLE — Editor’s note: Friday marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a powerful and destructive storm, making landfill. This week, many community events and commemorations are taking place in New Orleans to honor the victims, celebrate the city’s resilience and reflect on its ongoing journey of rebuilding and justice. This prayer from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is intended to help Presbyterians remember and continue their mourning.
Holy and almighty God,
Draw near to all of us for whom the painful memories of Hurricane Katrina do not feel as if they occurred 20 years ago. We still mourn the thousands of lives lost directly and indirectly from the horrors of this storm. We still mourn the displacement of families and friends, the destruction of our communities and neighborhoods, and the suffering and trauma experienced by too many of your beloved people.
A barber shop located in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. (Photo by the Library of Congress via Unsplash)
As we remember the failures of our levees, the delay and denial of help and resources, the violence and cruelty that unfolded in those unbearably hot days as floodwaters rose and nightmares gave way to a new dawn, look tenderly upon all the unveiled wounds of our humanity and gather the pieces of our shattered trust in the people and systems that shape our world.
Hear our prayer, O God. Do not forsake us. As the prophet Isaiah proclaims: “You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” Restore within us our care for our neighbors and restore our ability to behold the dignity of all people, particularly those peoples still displaced and in search of refuge and safety today. Repair all that remains unhealed and broken — the realities of poverty, racism, environmental degradation, distrust — and repair all that continues to harm and prevent the restoration of what has been lost and destroyed since Hurricane Katrina.
God of rebirth and God of wholeness, we remember with gratitude the labor of all whose compassion and love were evident in the rebuilding of each damaged home, the plates of shared meals turning once strangers into friends, and the unfolding story of hope rising out of chaos. Holy Spirit, revive us as we commemorate this tragic moment in our lives. Strengthen our commitment to bear witness to those whose lives have been ravaged by disasters, whether it happened 20 years ago or just yesterday. May we accompany one another through our darkest days, just as you accompany us. Restore our faith in the magnitude of your grace and the healing mercy of even our human efforts to repair what has been broken. Allow us to join you in restoring streets with dwellings to reflect your enduring love and abiding spirit.
In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
The Rev. Kathy Lee-Cornell is PDA Associate for National Disaster Response.
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