Church Response: Gulf Edition

The task is overwhelming,
So enormous is the scope,
There’s work enough for everyone;
We can’t sit back and hope.

Tending to the injured birds
And bagging up the dead;
So many tasks that must be done—
Why don’t we pray, instead?

We’ll hop inside our SUV’s
And drive them to the coast—
Once there, we’ll all join hands and pray
Where prayer is needed most.

We know the Lord works miracles,
And has our best at heart;
And maybe, if we show our faith
His holy work will start.

An hour or so of praying
Then we'll get up off our knees,
And we'll drive back to the parish
In our trusty SUV's.

******

The things they need are numerous,
So here's where we'll begin:
This crisis is a test of faith,
So send the chaplains in!

The crisis is ongoing;
It can wear a body down--
It's good in such emergencies
That chaplains are around.

(In fairness to the chaplains, they
Will only come when called;
They won’t impose themselves unasked,
Or I’d be more appalled.)

*****

Katrina was an Act of God,
But this, an act of man—
Believers, though, still claim it’s part
Of God’s Eternal Plan,

And know that there’s a purpose here
Whatever it may be;
Why God would want disaster
Is a mystery to me.

*****

With faith, and hope, and charity,
The churches do their best;
Of course, it's people, never God,
Who answers their request;

Though thousands work, both day and night,
None here will find it odd
That people will, when all is done,
Collectively thank God.

(Though God alone, if God exists,
Had pow'r to intervene,
To stop the spill at any point
And change this tragic scene)

This God, it seems, is impotent--
It always has been thus--
For both prevention and for cure,
It's always up to us.