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O Holy God, who is the source of all life and meaning, the burning fire
at the heart of the cosmos and at the core of our souls, hear our prayer
this day as we gather to celebrate the gift of this blessed Earth.
Ours is a prayer of confession:
Forgive us for the pain we have inflicted upon this Earth:
the rivers and seas we have polluted;
the plants and animals we have killed;
the plains and valleys we have made barren;
the air we have poisoned; the forests we have destroyed.
Is there a need to recite the sad litany once again?
We pray that it is not too late to ask forgiveness for these sins
against the Earth,
that it is not too late to turn our hearts and minds
toward atonement.
Ours is a prayer of thanksgiving:
How generous is the blessing of cosmic hospitality!
How glorious the gift of life on this blue-green Earth!
The blowing of leaves; the rustle of grass;
the gentle call of birds—
All these—and so much more—you have blessed us
to be among.
So many gifts of color and sound, of taste and texture:
a living world of earth, sky, water, and fire;
a world always-changing, but always steady and strong.
Help us to feel, in the depths of our being,
full of awe and reverence for the magnificence of each moment,
full of thanksgiving and praise to be numbered among such wonders!
And ours is a prayer for strength:
May we be strong enough, and wise enough,
to change our ways of living upon this Earth.
May we be strong enough to let go of those parts of our lives
which add to the world’s pain,
and take up new ways which help to heal the Earth,
and heal ourselves.
May we be wise enough to get out of our heads,
and back onto the Earth where we belong;
wise enough to forgo human cleverness
in favor of the deeper wisdom of the Earth and the universe;
strong enough to move away from domination over the Earth,
and toward communion with all living things.
Hear our prayer, O God, and help us to remember
that every day on Earth is a holy day:
a day to worship; a day to celebrate;
a day to return blessing for blessing.
Amen.
jbs
4/22/90 - 4/22/07
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