Pause

This we know: the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. We did not weave the web of life; we are merely strands in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

— Chief Seattle, 1786 – 1866

·

Earth is a revelation of God and the sustainer of all life. We recognize that the exploitation and destruction of Earth’s air, water, soil and species is a sacrilege. We are committed to a spirituality of peacemaking, which compels us to live in right relationship with the entire community of life. In this way, “we engage in the struggle against the reality of evil and continue the work of establishing God’s reign of justice and peace.”

— Seeds of Peace: Care of Creation & Climate Change, 2008 Chapter Act

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Prayer for Creation

Creator God, We thank you for the beauty of your Creation, and for giving us the privilege of caring for it. We confess that we have not cared for the earth with the self-sacrificing and nurturing love that you require of us. We mourn the broken relationships in creation. We repent for our part in causing the current environmental crisis that has led to climate change. Creator God, give us your Spirit to work together to restore your creation and to hand on a safe environment and climate to our children and theirs.

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Micah Challenge Australia for the standup kit for churches, 2009 excerpt.

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Eagle Poem

by Joy Harjo

To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River.
Circles in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon, within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.

Special thanks to Sister Carmel Little for her
preparation of the weekly Peace Prayer, which can be
found on the CSJP website under the Spirituality tab.

This article appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Living Peace.