Rain, yes; Aghon, no!

Shortly after midnight of Friday, May 24, there were those in Cebu awakened by the sound of water they thought came from a faucet that they may have forgotten to close properly earlier or that had started to leak.

Then it dawned on many --rain, rain, finally, rain had come!

“Rain on my roof is music to my ear,” wrote one in her FB.

The Mary month of May certainly didn’t disappoint.

Answered prayer, many faithful testified, especially those who joined the call of the CBCP made last May 3, for all to pray the “Oratio Imperata Ad Petendan Pluviam” or the Obligatory Prayer to Request for Rain.

Not only did rain start to fall in several parts of the Philippines.

PAGASA confirmed that the low-pressure area inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility had developed into a tropical depression at 2 a.m., Friday, May 24 and named Aghon, the first tropical cyclone for the country for 2024.

Areas to be affected by Aghon included Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, northern part of Surigao del Sur, eastern part of Southern Leyte, Eastern and Northern Samar, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon.

PAGASA warned Aghon may bring strong winds and heavy rain which may trigger floods and landslides.

Signal No. 1 has been reported to have already been raised in the following: Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande islands in Surigao del Norte.

More areas in Eastern Visayas and Caraga were alerted to prepare for Signal No. 1 by 11 a.m. yesterday, Friday.

PAGASA forecasted that as Aghon moved towards Luzon, it could strengthen into a severe tropical storm by mid-Sunday and into a typhoon by Tuesday, May 28.

The weather bureau confirmed that Aghon may not bring enough rain to augment the dangerously decreasing water level in Angat Dam that services Luzon.

For sure, many will continue to pray the following Oratio Imperata Ad Petendan Pluviam below (together with the petition for no flood/typhoons/destruction/damage, please):

“God, our loving Father, Creator of our earth and of the universe and of all the wondrous elements of nature that sustain your living creatures, we humbly ask you to grant us relief from the extreme heat that besets your people at this time, disrupting their activities and threatening their lives and livelihood.

“Send us rain to replenish our depleting water sources, to irrigate our fields, to stave off water and power shortages and to provide water for our daily needs.

“At your command the wind and the seas obey. Raise your hand, Almighty God, to avert the continuing rise in temperatures so that your people can engage in productive undertakings and our young people can pursue learning in tranquility and comfort.

“Merciful and generous God, open our eyes to the richness and beauty of your creation and instill in us a deep love for this earth and all that is in and around it.

“Teach us to be wise stewards of your creation so that we may always use them responsibly and protect them from abuse and exploitation.

“At this time of crisis, dear Lord, move us to share more, to serve more and to love more.

“Loving God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you entrusted the Filipino people

to the special care of Mary our Mother, listen to the prayers that we bring up to her, our Blessed Mother, to intercede for us, for the protection of our land and our people, whom she loves.

“Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us. Saint Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.”