an ecological litany

preface
below is a christian prayer for individual or group devotion. the focus is on thanking God for the gift of creation (of which we are a part), and a recognition of our personal/collective ecological sins, with a call for repentance and Divine aid. i wrote this litany for a recent ecumenical ecological prayer service entitled "whose earth is it anyway: a prayerful response" which was a follow up to a presentation i gave on the biblical theology of ecology by the same name. anyone interested in having me come to your church or organization to give the presentation "whose earth is it anyway:a biblical theology of ecology" please email me. as is usual with litanies it is formatted in a call and response style (V stands for verse and R for response). when recited with intention i think it is a powerful prayer. may we walk together with God and one another in loving reconciliation, amen.


an ecological litany

V: Lord God, Maker of heaven and earth, we marvel at the wonder of Your works giving glory to Your Holy Name. Truly You are Father of all, we thank you for Your enduring love, which like a mother holding her child to her breast gives life and nourishment to the whole of Your creation.
R: Thank you God for the gift of life, and the gift of this earth, and the gift of Your abiding Presence.

V: Lord, we remember our sins against You and Your earth.
R: Lord have mercy, and heal our broken ways.
V: Lord, we admit our forgetfulness in our duty to care for Your creation.
R: Lord have mercy, and heal us Your broken image.
V: Lord, for all the times we have put our selfish pursuits before the good of the whole.
R: Lord have mercy, and heal our broken souls.
V: Lord, we remember those who are hungry and homeless, both human and animal, because of our greed and wantonness.
R: Lord have mercy, and heal our broken priorities.
V: Lord, for the times we have turned from Your call and hardened our hearts of stone.
R: Lord have mercy, and heal our broken hearts of stone.

V: We come before you in sorrow for our sins, in gratitude for your compassion, and in hope for new life, through Your love poured out upon the earth in the person of Jesus Christ.
R: renewing our commitment to love and serve You by loving and serving one another and the whole of Your creation, for Your glory and our salvation; we ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


copyright halley low 2010