Reflection of the week

Posted in Faith

This week's reflection is a prayer focussed on God and creation that has been specially prepared for Earth Day (Friday 22 April). It has been adapted from a UnitingJustice prayer published in November 2015.

Creator God,
out of the darkness,
life emerged.

(A candle is lit.)

In light and breath,
you gave birth to the world.

(Take a deep breath in and out.)

Jesus is the light of the world.
In him all things are made whole.

(Cup your hands together and then make them into a ball. Hold them together for a few moments.)

Creator God,
breath and source of life,
in love you called the world into being
and in grace you made us and call us your children.
We stand in awe of the wonder of your creation:
its beauty and wildness;
complexity and power;
resilience and fragility.

God of life,
you call us to be participants in the web and wellspring of life:
to be nurtured by the planet;
to be nurturing of the planet;
to cherish the world and all that lives.
But we have failed and creation groans under our weight.

God of grace,
forgive us in our brokenness:
when we have taken too much from the earth;
when we have not spoken out against greed and destruction;
when we have allowed our most vulnerable neighbours to be harmed.
We seek courage and forgiveness to be made whole.

God of love,
we pray for those people, communities and nations
already suffering the devastating effects of climate change;
and we pray for the diversity of life on earth,
so much of it already threatened by our actions.

God of hope,
we pray for the world’s leaders
Bless them with wisdom and creativity,
and a shared vision of hope for all creation.
May they find the determination
to take strong action against climate change,
and the political will to act together for the common good.

Creator God,
we pray for us all,
that we might restore our relationships with each other
and work together to heal the earth.
Renew us in your grace
for the sake of your creation.

Amen.


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