The gift of Earth: a prayer moment

As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si (n. 67), “We are not God. The earth was here before us and has been given to us.” One of the core values of the Sisters of Providence is Care of Earth. As one of God’s greatest gifts to us, we are called upon to respect Earth and the environment and be responsible for its care and preservation.

Challenges for the week to tend to the gift of Earth:
• Spend time in nature;
• Look out for life, human and other, in your little patch of the world;
• Live compassionately toward all God’s creatures;
• Reduce the impact of your lifestyle on the planet’s resources;
• Advocate on behalf of environmental concerns.

Prayer:
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.

We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

(Excerpted from “Prayer for our Earth,” Laudato Si, n. 246)