Reflect & Learn
“The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt.” - Isaiah 24:4-6
The prophet Isaiah describes the effect on the earth when we fail to follow God’s commands to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). When we fail to care for creation and love our neighbors as ourselves, we all suffer the consequences. One example is climate change. Climate change threatens everyone’s health, air, water, food, and shelter, but Black, Indigenous, and communities of color (BIPOC) face the greatest risks. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, heat waves, and wildfires, as well as poor air quality and pollution, all have a disproportionate impact on communities of color, low-income communities and other vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and farmworkers.
These impacted communities have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change and are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions—both in the United States and globally.
Learn more by checking out this video:
Pray
Offer up the following prayers for Climate Justice from Sr. Marlene Kelly
Gracious God, Creator of All, we raise our hearts in grateful praise for all the beauty that surrounds us. May we learn to respect all as a sacred gift and do what we can to repair the damage we have caused through our consumerism, greed, and carelessness. Grant us an ecological conversion so that we can leave our next generation with a future full of hope where there is enough for all.
We pray that the November UN Climate Change Conference in Britain will be a real turning point for a climate change policy and that all leaders will acknowledge that our present treatment of earth, our home, is abusive.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray that our leaders will have the courage to take immediate action on the issue of climate change for the sake of all life.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray in gratitude for the gift of God's creation and ask that we may learn to walk softly on this Earth.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray that all will have an attitude of wonder and awe as we learn the history of our Universe and see the mystery and beauty of creation.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray for all those who are victims of climate change and we ask that we who are responsible for this suffering may make choices which are life-giving for all.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray in gratitude for all those who bring awareness of the suffering planet, acknowledge that all creation is sacred, and work to bring about a change in our attitude towards Earth, our common home.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray that all faith communities will have a prophetic voice, raise the moral issue of climate change, and inspire each of us to reverence and care for all of creation.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray for all creatures with whom we share the Earth that they will continue to be a presence among us.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
We pray that we may bring to an end our dependence on gas and oil and transition to a green economy.
Creating God, help us change our ways.
God of All Life, we give thanks for Earth, our common home, and ask forgiveness for all the unreasonable demands we have made on it. As our Earth, its many peoples, its oceans, wildlife and ecosystems are struggling to survive. Help us to change our ways and guide us to live a life which is not centered on ourselves, but on all you have created. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Act
Addressing environmental justice requires people of faith working together to protect the most vulnerable in our communities as we seek to care for our common home.
If you are interested in learning more about faith and environmental justice, then consider signing-up for the Creation at the Crossroads -- a six-week study based on Pope Francis’ Laudato Si.
To reserve a spot and a book, contact Kabby Akers (kakers@cdlex.org).
Additional Resources
Last year, Pope Francis talked about why caring for the environment is a justice issue. He spoke about three ways we can act to address climate change. Watch or read the transcript of his speech:
We must assess our own role in climate change to begin to take action on climate justice. Calculate the size of your carbon footprint with the EPA's household Carbon Footprint Calculator. Commit to reduce your individual and household’s impacts.
