I MADE HEAVEN GIGGLE, THEN WEEP

In my last post I went on about the torrid winter we've been having, and planned a day of being out and about, running errands where I expected to be met with arid, warm winds. Then early this morning, I woke to torrential rain here in Los Angeles. 

I could get drenched standing by an open window, and the door needs to be plugged with a towel. There is that leaden taste in the air of petrichor. I'll avoid going outside merely because a lot of motorists have forgotten how to use their windshield wipers and are seeing through blurry glass. The roads are much more slippy then they'd be in a place that gets more rain because there is a build-up of exhaust fumes on the highways.

This cloudburst will be continuous for 24 hours. A thunderstorm is imminent. 

I've been calling on St Florian, who is patron saint of floods. He was martyred by drowning when a millstone was tied to his neck. In view of his martyrdom when dirty saline liquid flooded his lungs, I think I can deal with sodden towels, a touch of cabin fever, and take delight in the grace that I've felt called to reach out to St Florian. 

Please join me in praying to Florian, 

St. Florian, we pray for your intercession and protection as we face the challenges and dangers of daily life. Protect us from the dangers of fire and water, and from all harm that may come our way.

We ask for your guidance and strength as we strive to serve and protect our communities, just as you devoted your life to serving and protecting the people of your time. Help us to be courageous and selfless in our efforts to help others, and to always put the needs of others before our own.

We also pray for those who are in need of your protection and guidance, especially firefighters and other emergency responders who put themselves in harm’s way to help others. May they be kept safe as they serve, and may they find the strength and courage they need to do their difficult and important work.

We give thanks for your example of bravery and selfless service, and we ask for the grace to follow in your footsteps as we seek to serve and protect those around us. Through your intercession, may we all come to know the love and protection of God. 

Amen.

I've also remembered a summer in London that alternated between extreme heat and sudden storms. During the break in a downpour, I walked in a mews in South Kensington, careful not to slip on the cobbled street which had a glassy touch. 

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The classic painting of St Florian was executed by Francesco del Cossa and is in the public domain.