Knowledge
On Sunday we begin the 2024 Season of Creation with World Day of Prayer for Care of the Earth. Pope Francis added this day to the Church calendar in 2015 and has since released an annual statement.
"Creation itself, like humanity, was enslaved, albeit through no fault of its own … it finds itself unable to fulfil the lasting meaning and purpose for which it was designed." – Pope Francis
You may enjoy attending the 2024 Opening Prayer Service lead by ecumenical faith leaders across the globe. The service is Sunday at 9:00 A.M. The recording will be available after.
Prayer
Season of Creation 2024 Prayer
Triune God, Creator of all,
We praise you for your goodness, visible in all the diversity that you have created, making us a cosmic family living in a common home. Through the Earth you created, we experience love and nourishment, home and protection.
We confess that we do not relate to the Earth as a Mothering gift from you, our Creator. Our selfishness, greed, neglect, and abuse have caused the climate crisis, loss of biodiversity, human suffering as well as the suffering of all our fellow creatures. We confess that we have failed to listen to the groans of the Earth, the groans of all creatures, and the groans of the Spirit of hope and justice that lives within us.
May your Creator Spirit help us in our weakness, so that we may know the redeeming power of Christ and the hope found in him. May the groans of the Spirit birth in us a willingness to serve you faithfully, so that we may hear and heal Creation, to hope and act together with her, so that the first fruits of hope may blossom.
Loving and Creator God, we pray that you will make us sensitive to these groans and enable us to have the same compassion as that of Jesus, the redeeming Lord. Grant us a fresh vision of our relationship with Earth, and with one another, as creatures that are made in your image.
In the name of the one who came to proclaim the good news to all Creation, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Action
The Congregation of St Joseph will publish daily meditations during the Season of Creation. You may visit the webpage daily.
Consider adding a weekly rosary of creation to your prayers for the Season of Creation?