Day of Prayer

Some Things An Individual Might Do
to Take Part in this
World Day of Prayer
for the Care of Creation

One of the first things each of us could do is to read the Encyclical, or even to read the 7 page guide to it.
Here's a link to our encyclical page.

Any individual might pray - in the morning, before work, or at night, before or after supper, one of the prayer resources others have prepared.

Another thing we can do is to simply pause to give thanks for all of Creation, and ultimately, for the Creator. We can make this as personal as we are able to do. We might start a journey, which lists all that we are grateful for today, and add to us, beginning a pattern of appreciation and gratitude.

As the encyclical letter urges us, we can begin to be mindful of our lifestyle and our patterns of consumption. Only when we begin to sense our contribution to the crisis we are facing, can we begin to approach conversion.

We can use this day to reflect upon our sisters and brothers around the world who have so much less than we do. They likely have less of the world's resources because we have as much as we have. Trying to imagine their lives and what they experience is the first step toward compassion and then solidarity.

We can reflect upon what changes we might make in our everyday lives. We can desire and decide to simplify our lives, perhaps in stages. We can get used to less, and consciously do that as we feel more connected with those who have so much less.

We can commit ourselves to learn more, to get deeper into the encyclical and to pay attention to groups or activities in our church community and in our cities, which might support our growing consciousness and with which we might contribute our efforts.

We can pray this day, and perhaps more frequently, for the desires Pope Francis outlines in his letter. We can hold up to our God our sorrow for what has happened to our planet and her children around the world. We can ask that women and men might hear the cry of the poor and might come together in a new spirit of dialogue. We can pray for personal conversion and ask that cities, countries and transnational businesses and organizations might work together for the common good of our common home.

And, each of us might consider sharing the renewal of desires we are experiencing with others we are close to, to become lights which might bring light to others.

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