A Prayer For Earth Day During The Pandemic

Good morning, God. Hear my prayer.

It’s April 22nd. We are commemorating the first Earth Day demonstration fifty years later. Today we are seeing clearer waters and skies. The air is cooler for some of us. By and large, I am sitting still. I offer this prayer in remembrance.

There is a terrible disease moving around the world. This Covid-19 is having terrible effects on the health and well-being of your children here. I know this is a common occurrence of human life. I get it. It is part of nature. I find the whole thing unjust though. Please help me see clearly how to overcome this problem.

I see a number of people who are very concerned about the health of their neighbors. We have all heard that the elderly, immunocompromised people, and people who have certain previously unknown conditions are at a high risk. I am truly thankful for that concern.

I also see that a number of people are concerned about the well-being of our neighbors. Will our lives be forever altered by what happens now? Will we all go back to “normal” living? What will happen to our jobs? Will they be there when we can return to them? People are concerned for their livelihoods. Who can blame them?

I am thankful for those worker’s that are being labeled “essential.” My family me taught that work was honorable. Experience has taught me that too many people do not honor the work done by others. I witness now who has lost all sense of honorable behavior toward those who work.

It is easy to understand the desire so many people have to go back to work. I hate that by calling one person essential implies that another one is not essential. For the time being we can live without the work these people do. But do not let us entertain the belief that there is no value in there work.

The pandemic is not from your hand. I am amazed though that you gave us the means to learn which religious leaders care and which one’s are posers. You called us to inspect the nature of their works. More importantly however, I am learning what kind of leader I want to be.

I am grateful that my family has been disease free so far. By this, my concern for them has been strengthened.

God, I will ask for some things now.

I ask that you help us eradicate the disease. Let us be physicians healing ourselves and others. Help us turn our hearts to restoring health to the whole of humanity.

I ask that you bless those who work. Help all of us bless the work done by one another.

I ask for the continued health of my friends and family. What kind of friend wouldn’t want that? As a father, brother, son, nephew, uncle, and a betrothed person, I naturally have this concern.

I pray your blessing on those who strive for peace with justice. May those efforts find new energy and opportunities during the crisis. I ask you to help those who would like to help find their calling.

I ask you to bless all religious leaders who seek the Good for All. Help us to provide the resources they need.

Lastly, I pray for one more thing. Help me forgive those whose behavior at this time warrant condemnation. Your justice seeks redemption and restoration. Help our desire to right the wrongs have these same goals.

For you are the source of truth, hope, and lovingkindness; Amen.