{"id":1035,"date":"2018-08-31T04:48:53","date_gmt":"2018-08-31T10:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/lostinaoneacrewood\/?p=1035"},"modified":"2019-04-29T08:19:36","modified_gmt":"2019-04-29T14:19:36","slug":"world-day-of-prayer-for-creation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/lostinaoneacrewood\/2018\/08\/31\/world-day-of-prayer-for-creation\/","title":{"rendered":"World Day of Prayer for Creation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Pope<\/p>\n

Tomorrow is the day Christians pray for the earth. Pope Francis designated September 1 as a Day of Prayer for Creation in 2015. He was following the lead of other Christian denominations and groups. In my experience not enough Catholics know about this day.<\/p>\n

Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople in 1989 was first to proclaimed September 1 an annual day of prayer and action to protect the environment. Subsequently many different Christian traditions have set the month between that date and October 4 as a season of Prayer for Creation. It\u2019s a time of celebrating, praying for, and acting on behalf of creation. October 4 is the Feast Day of St. Francis.<\/p>\n

St. Francis\u2019 connection to nature and his love of all living things have made him one of Christianity\u2019s most popular saints. Catholics, by proclamation of Pope John Paul II, have added to St. Francis\u2019 titles \u201cpatron saint of those who promote ecology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Promoting a Season of Prayer for Creation<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This year nine leaders from different denominations in a joint letter<\/a> endorsed the concept of a Season of Creation. \u201cAs the environmental crisis deepens,\u2019 they write, \u201cwe Christians are urgently called to witness to our faith by taking bold action to preserve the gift we share.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardinal Peter Turkson is one of the signers. He is Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. \u201cLiving our vocation to be protectors of God\u2019s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue,\u201d the cardinal declares. \u201cIt is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Remembering Laudato Si<\/strong><\/h4>\n

For Catholics a Day of Prayer for Creation is also a time to remember Pope Francis\u2019 2015 encyclical \u201cLaudato Si: On Care for our Common Home.\u201d The pope spoke to Catholics and the entire world. He called for an ecological conversion that respects the dignity of both the human and non-human worlds. Everything is connected, but especially are the health of world ecology and the well-being of the world\u2019s poor connected.<\/p>\n

The pope explains how Christianity can nurture a spirit of care for the earth. The incarnation of the divine into created matter makes everything sacred. \u201cThe very flowers of the field and the birds which [Jesus\u2019] human eyes contemplated and admired are now imbued with his radiant presence.\u201d The world is a web of relationships, say ecologists. It would have to be, according to Francis. It is created \u201caccording to the divine model\u201d of relationships within the Trinity.<\/p>\n

The Christian leaders who signed the joint letter would agree. It\u2019s time, they say, to \u201cdeepen our relationship with the Creator, each other, and all of creation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis concluded the encyclical Laudato Si with two prayers, which I reproduce here. The first Francis intends for all believers in God; the second is specifically Christian.<\/p>\n

A prayer for our earth<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
\nand in the smallest of your creatures.
\nYou embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
\nPour out upon us the power of your love,
\nthat we may protect life and beauty.
\nFill us with peace, that we may live
\nas brothers and sisters, harming no one.
\nO God of the poor,
\nhelp us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
\nso precious in your eyes.
\nBring healing to our lives,
\nthat we may protect the world and not prey on it,
\nthat we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
\nTouch the hearts\u00a0of those who look only for gain
\nat the expense of the poor and the earth.
\nTeach us to discover the worth of each thing,
\nto be filled with awe and contemplation,
\nto recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature
\nas we journey towards your infinite light.
\nWe thank you for being with us each day.
\nEncourage us, we pray, in our struggle\u00a0for justice, love and peace.<\/p>\n

A Christian joins with created things in prayer for creation<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.
\nThey came forth from your all-powerful hand;
\nthey are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.
\nPraise be to you!<\/p>\n

Son of God, Jesus,
\nthrough you all things were made.
\nYou were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
\nyou became part of this earth,
\nand you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
\nToday you are alive in every creature in your risen glory.
\nPraise be to you!<\/p>\n

Holy Spirit, by your light
\nyou guide this world towards the Father\u2019s love
\nand accompany creation as it groans in travail.
\nYou also dwell in our hearts
\nand you inspire us to do what is good.
\nPraise be to you!<\/p>\n

Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love,
\nteach us to contemplate you in the beauty of the universe,
\nfor all things speak of you.
\nAwaken our praise and thankfulness
\nfor every being that you have made.
\nGive us the grace to feel profoundly joined
\nto everything that is.<\/p>\n

God of love, show us our place in this world
\nas channels of your love
\nfor all the creatures of this earth,
\nfor not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
\nEnlighten those who possess power and money
\nthat they may avoid the sin of indifference,
\nthat they may love the common good, advance the weak,
\nand care for this world in which we live.
\nThe poor and the earth are crying out.
\nO Lord, seize us with your power and light,
\nhelp us to protect all life,
\nto prepare for a better future,
\nfor the coming of your Kingdom
\nof justice, peace, love and beauty.
\nPraise be to you!
\nAmen.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tomorrow is the day Christians pray for the earth. Pope Francis designated September 1 as a Day of Prayer for Creation in 2015. He was following the lead of other Christian denominations and groups. In my experience not enough Catholics know about this day. Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople in 1989 was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3488,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[95,89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ecology","category-liturgy"],"yoast_head":"\nWorld Day of Prayer for Creation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tomorrow is the day Christians pray for the earth. Pope Francis designated September 1 as a Day of Prayer for Creation in 2015. He was following the lead of other Christian denominations and groups. 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