“Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a day dedicated to environmental reform. The day followed in the wake of a massive oil spill off the coast of California. Now a global event, Earth Day was first celebrated in public schools and on college campuses across the United States. A youth movement, Earth Day was and continues to be a day to care for the earth, to bring awareness to reckless behaviors causing pollution, and to demand accountability to and transformation of human behaviors contributing to climate change. Although major demonstrations, rallies, and events have been postponed this year because of the pandemic, the call and charge remains the same: to honor and restore this precious world God has made wounded by our actions. Today we offer “A PRAYER FOR…GOD’S EARTH.”
Genesis 1:31: “God saw everything God had made, and indeed, it was very good.”
Romans 8:22: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now.”
Let us pray:
Between the goodness and the groaning of the earth, we lift our prayer to you, O Creating One. We rejoice in the beauty and wonder of all you have made; yet, with the same breath (a sign of our created goodness!), we lament the devastation and destruction our patterns of behavior have brought upon your good earth. Open us to the cries of the earth; turn us from harmful individual and collective choices; inspire us by the advocacy of earth-keepers and water-protectors in our midst (especially the youth!); and, stir us to action to reverse our deforming practices that we may serve as co-creators in your divine love and joy. This we pray trusting in your ability to reform our hearts and our lives by your living Word. Amen.
Rev. Justin Lind-Ayres, University Pastor