Praying for rain

MARK Twain said, “The rain falls upon the just and the unjust alike; a thing which would not happen if I were superintending the rain's affairs. No, I would rain softly and sweetly on the just, but if I caught a sample of the unjust outdoors, I would drown him.”

PNP Chief Bato dela Rosa has called on all PNP chaplains to storm the heavens with prayers for rain today to wash out a planned mammoth protest against the burial of dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

See what would have happened if Bato had power over the rain?

*** Bato has faith the heavens will grant his prayer, because he is not ordering security preparations for the big protest at the People Power Monument on Edsa.

“We don't have to prepare for everything. We will give them all they want. They can have the streets, parks, plazas. Go ahead, we will not block them provided they will not make any trouble,” he said.

If Bato gets his heavy rain, there wouldn't be any need for water cannons.

*** Roman Catholic Church bishops resort to the “Oratio Imperata” to pray for rain during long droughts to bring relief to dried up farmlands.

Now all priests in the PNP will be required to pray for rain to prevent the protesters from massing on Edsa.

The PNP chaplains should better watch the TV weather forecast first before praying for rain.

*** General George Patton, US Third Army commander, once asked his chaplain, Msgr. James H. O'Neill, to pen a prayer to stop the rain while bogged down in his advance towards Germany.

Here's the prayer: “Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle.

“Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations.”