A Prayer for Japan

With the Rev Roger Hutchings (B.B.C Radio 4)

GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
There are going to be lots of jokes today, because it’s Red Nose day, and we’ll enjoy the laughter. But if you’re a person who turns to prayer at this time of the day, you’ll not be thinking of humour this morning. You’ll be thinking of the unimaginable grief, pain, hunger, cold, and fear currently being experienced by so many people in Japan. A few months ago, our son was in Tokyo, visiting, with his girlfriend, the home of her sister who lives and works there. Yet their anxiety this week is as nothing compared with what thousands are experiencing, but personal connection gives the news headlines a personal, human face. So how might I pray today? When the forces of nature combine with the inadequacies of human technology to bring such suffering to innocent women, men and children, does it make sense to try to pray at all?

My own, Christian thoughts delve back into Hebrew scripture. There’s a fearlessness about some of their ancient prayers. They weren’t afraid to shout angrily at God, to express their sense of injustice and protest at God’s apparent forgetfulness and lack of care for the lives of those he created. With a profound awareness of God’s absence, they dug deep into their traditions to weep and wail, to challenge God. And somehow, through the honesty of their anger and despair, they found their way towards an inner peace. Maybe, just maybe, we can do the same.

God of compassion, when we are overwhelmed by the suffering we hear about and see, hear our grief and anger as we pray for the people of Japan. Teach us to hear your word of consolation. We ask this in the name of the crucified Christ. Amen.