Netizens share 'Prayer for Rain' amid rising heat index

Several netizens have been feeling the heat and have opted to share the "Prayer for Rain" that was posted on the social media accounts of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in April 2016.

Caritas Philippines, is the humanitarian, development and advocacy arm of the CBCP followed suit.

The following is the "Prayer for Rain" that was recited in all churches in 2016. It was the time when the country was experiencing the effects of the El Niño and the amount of rainfall was below normal that many areas were drought-stricken.

Most Gracious and Most Merciful God,

Creator, Source and Giver of all things,

Most powerful in heaven and on earth,

We give You honor and glory.

We thank You

For our home – the earth;

For our light – the sun, moon and stars;

For our solace – our family and friends, our community, our neighbors.

United as Your children, we come to You, pleading,

Shower us with rain, provide us with water that we need.

Father, Your children are begging to survive,

Hear us, we desire to live.

Prolonged drought is depriving us of the fruits of our toil;

Low water supply means hunger and thirst for most of us;

El Niño continues to threaten our relationship with one another.

O Lord, this is a very hostile phenomenon that we beg for You to end.

At this time of looming catastrophe, dear Lord, dwell in our hearts.

Teach us to be more generous; bring out the best in us;

Turn our eyes and ears toward the needs of others, especially the poor.

Move us to share more, care more, serve more and love more.

Holy God, You sanctify this earth to be our sacred abode.

Grant us courage to take in hand the sufferings of the environment;

Grant us might to save and protect the beauty of nature.

Grant us wisdom to restore whatever we have destroyed.

O Loving God, behold on us, Your beloved children

Feel us, feel for us;

Let heaven cry and its tears be our blessed rain.

Have mercy on us Lord, have mercy.

We beg you,

Most Gracious and Merciful God,

Please, let it rain. Amen.

Metro Manila and 23 other areas were named by PAGASA as those that will have dangerous heat index on Tuesday.

PAGASA forecasted heat index at 42 degrees Celsius at the NAIA, Pasay City station and 40 degrees Celsius at the Science Garden in Quezon City.

The highest heat index for the day will be in Dagupan City, Pangasinan with 46 degrees Celsius.

The heat index is a measure of how hot it really feels when factoring in the relative humidity at a given location. — BAP/KG, GMA Integrated News