A Prayer for our Earth (Laudato Si’, 246)

All-powerful God, You are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty,

not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice,

love and peace. Amen.                

Season of Creation: each year, from 1 September to 4 October, Christians around the world unite in this special season of prayer and action to care for our common home. It is a time to celebrate God as Creator and to reflect on our shared vocation to protect and cherish all of creation.

This year’s theme, “Living Water,” is inspired by Ezekiel 47:9, 12 – a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological renewal. Set against the backdrop of exile and loss, the prophet’s image of living water flowing from God’s sanctuary reveals God’s healing presence, bringing new life to rivers, land, biodiversity and communities, while calling us to renewed care for the whole Earth community.

Given our dry summer and the changing climate we have witnessed in recent weeks, we should appreciate more and be more mindful, of our use of water