大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Rabbi Julia Neuberger.

Good morning.

When I was a child, I had pen friends all over the world. One was in Tonga, the place we have been hearing about so much over the last couple of weeks because of the terrible tsunami that has affected it and covered it in ash, with under-sea power lines disrupted, and severe problems getting help to the islanders and checking water is safe to drink, let alone that food and medical supplies are adequate. I couldn鈥檛 help thinking of that wonderful cheerful girl who wrote to me from Tonga, so proud of her country and her delightful queen Salote Tupou III, all those years ago.

Queen Salote became something of a heroine in Britain after the coronation in 1953, where she rode in an open carriage in pouring rain. I just remember seeing her, as I was perched on my father鈥檚 shoulders watching the procession go by. And I also remember my father telling me then- and later, when I had my pen friend, that Tonga had been a magnificent ally, declaring war on Germany back in 1940 and putting all its resources at Britain鈥檚 disposal.

Last week鈥檚 news was terrible. It was a natural disaster. But natural disasters may be increasing because of human actions, because of climate change caused by our increasing burning of the atmosphere, our lack of respect for the natural world. We must do all we can to help Tonga, to make sure its citizens get their lives back to normal as soon as possible. But there is another imperative. The long haul one. We must apply our God given minds to arresting climate change, and, where possible, preventing its worst effects. It can鈥檛 be beyond us. But the question is whether we have the will to do it. I think the tsunami that engulfed Tonga in ash has strengthened our will. I pray it has and that us taking action is God鈥檚 will.

Amen