Interfaith Climate Prayer in English and Spanish ( La bendición climática)
The Climate Blessing was intended for a national prayer on Earth Day, but it and the following prayers are relevant any and every day.
We Hold the Earth We hold brothers and sisters who suffer from storms and droughts intensified by climate change. We hold all species that suffer. We hold world leaders delegated to make decisions for life. We pray that the web of life may be mended through courageous actions to limit carbon emissions. We pray for right actions for adaptation and mitigation to help our already suffering earth community. We pray that love and wisdom might inspire my actions and our actions as communities. . . so that we may, with integrity, look into the eyes of brothers and sisters and all beings and truthfully say, we are doing our part to care for them and the future of the children. May love transform us and our world with new steps toward life
Sostenemos la tierra Sostenemos la tierra. Sostenemos hermanos y hermanas quienes sufren de tormentas y sequías intensificadas por el cambio climático. Sostenemos todas las especies que sufren. Sostenemos líderes mundial delegados a tomar decisiones por la vida. Rezamos que la red de la vida se pueda reparar a través de acciones valientes en limitar la emisión de carbono Rezamos por acciones correctas en ajustacion y mitigación para ayudar nuestra comunidad mundial que sufre Rezamos que el amor y sabiduría enspire mis acciones y nuestras acciones como comunidad… para que podamos, con integridad, mirar a los ojos de los hermanos y hermanas y todos los seres y en verdad digamos, estamos haciendo nuestra parte para cuidar de ellos y el futuro de los niños Para que el amor nos transforme y el mundo con nuevos pasos hacia la vida.
Prayer for our Earth from Pope Francis Encyclical ( English and Spanish)
A prayer for our earth
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.
Oración por nuestra tierra
Dios omnipotente, que estás presente en todo el universo y en la más pequeña de tus criaturas, Tú, que rodeas con tu ternura todo lo que existe, derrama en nosotros la fuerza de tu amor para que cuidemos la vida y la belleza. Inúndanos de paz, para que vivamos como hermanos y hermanas sin dañar a nadie. Dios de los pobres, ayúdanos a rescatar a los abandonados y olvidados de esta tierra que tanto valen a tus ojos. Sana nuestras vidas, para que seamos protectores del mundo y no depredadores, para que sembremos hermosura y no contaminación y destrucción. Toca los corazones de los que buscan sólo beneficios a costa de los pobres y de la tierra. Enséñanos a descubrir el valor de cada cosa, a contemplar admirados, a reconocer que estamos profundamente unidos con todas las criaturas en nuestro camino hacia tu luz infinita. Gracias porque estás con nosotros todos los días. Aliéntanos, por favor, en nuestra lucha por la justicia, el amor y la paz.
Prayer of Stewardship by Catholic Relief Services
God of all Creation,
At the beginning of time You placed a single mandate on humankind To be stewards of Creation To replenish and nurture all generations What you have made
We kneel today amid that same Creation- A world that is, in many ways, more splendid than ever But, in too many ways, scarred beyond recognition
Turn us from our unmindfulness Help our tough be light Help us renew the worlds that supports us So we may once more know Creation As it was in the beginning
Amen
Dios de la Creacion,
Al principio de los tiempos nos diste un mandato:
Cuidar y ser responsables de la creacion cultivando a traves de las generaciones lo que Tu habias creado. Hoy, nos arrodillamos en este mismo mundo que es parte de tu creacion. Un mundo que en muchos aspectos y lugares es mas esplendido que nunca antes, y en otros, lo hemos mancillado hasta dejarlo irreconocible.
Aparta de nosotros nuestra propia inconsciencia. Ayudanos para que nuestras obras sean reflejo de tu luz. Ayudanos a reparar el mundo que creaste para nuestro sustento de modo que podamos volver a ver en el la belleza y armonfa que tu creaste.
A Buddhist Prayer
New Mexico IPL uses this as a commitment at each of our Earth Sabbath monthly gatherings
I vow to myself and to each of you:
To commit myself daily to the healing of our world and the welfare of all beings.
To live on Earth more lightly and less violently in the food, products, and energy I consume.
To draw strength and guidance from the living Earth, the ancestors, the future generations,
and my brothers and sisters of all species.
To support others in our work for the world and to ask for help when I need it.
To pursue a daily practice that clarifies my mind, strengthens my heart, and supports me in
observing these vows. Shantideva’s Prayer, as recited by Rev. Patricia Mushim Ikeda, East Bay Meditation Center May I be a protector to those without protection, A leader to those who journey, A boat, a bridge, a passage to those desiring the shore of non-suffering. May the pain of every living creature be completely cleared away May I be the doctor, and the medicine, and may I be the nurse for all sick beings until everyone is healed. Just like space and the great elements such as Earth may I always support the life of all the many creatures. And until they pass away from pain, may I also be the source of life for all the realms of varied beings that reach into the ends of space. Prayer of Love and Healing for Earth O God of All Names and Beyond All Names, I pray in great gratitude this holy day for Love. Love raises the sun and greets me in each drop of water I drink, in each crumb of bread I taste, in each smile and tear I touch, in each child I meet. In a mantle of awe I stand enwrapped. My feet rest upon Earth and my head meets the moon. O Holy One, our times are fraught with challenge. Our Earth suffers climatic chaos, Men, women and children suffer from wounds of conflict, droughts, floods and crumbling economic systems. All manner of suffering and questions press into my soul. My small beating heart does not seem large enough… yet daily it keeps expanding beyond body boundaries into Compassion. Each morning Love rises beyond a known horizon in the unknown day. Each morning Hope beckons me into my stardust destiny. Each noontime Grace feeds me with Love. Each evening an invisible Breath enfolds me in a shawl of mercy. O Holy one Who Is Love, Hope, Grace and Breath transform our sadness and doubt into songs for Life. We pray for our beloved planet and all brothers and sisters. May healing waters bathe the rivers and oceans. May small, deliberate actions grow seeds of Earth justice. May one prophetic note of the smallest birdsong courageously sung on a busy street at dawn inspire leaders to free their voices to speak for the Common Good and future generations. O God of All Names and Beyond All Names, Whose Face is Love May I and we collectively Be the face of Transforming Love In this moment, In this day, In these times. Amen. From “Full Circle” by Howard Shapiro Nature Suite And we shall pass from this scene And from this stage called life Yet the Earth will always be And her children The wind, the sky, the land, the sea Shall ever sing songs of praise to the Creator Their Nature Suite Wilderness O vast and untamed wilderness Where wind and river speak Against the untainted electra sky Live the hunter and the meek Where no foulness of society Has corrupted what God has wrought Unconscious memories of visions past No possession to be kept or bought For within the soul of each city street Beneath the oppressive mass Lives the spirit of the unbridled frontier To some a time that’s past But in the stories born in our hearts Conceived before our births The wilderness will always be The calling of the Earth
Prayer by Hazrat Inayat Khan Through the silence of nature, I attain Thy divine peace. Oh sublime nature, in thy stillness let my heart rest. Thou art patiently awaiting the moment to manifest through the silence of sublime nature. Oh nature sublime, speak to me through silence, for I am awaiting in silence like you the call of God. Oh nature sublime, through thy silence I hear Thy cry. My heart is tuned to the quietness, that the stillness of nature inspires. Prayer from The Rabbinical Assembly of Conservative Judaism Praised are you Adonai our God, who rules the universe, which lacks nothing; for God created fine creatures and pleasant trees in order that humans might enjoy them. Prayers from The Rabbinical Assembly of the United Synagogue of America Light and Darkness, night and day. We marvel at the mystery of the stars. Moon and sky, sand and sea. We marvel at the mystery of the sun. Twilight, high noon, dusk and dawn. Though we are mortal, we are Creation’s crown. Flesh and bone, steel and stone. We dwell in fragile, temporary shelters. Grant steadfast love, compassion, grace. Sustain us, Lord; our origin is duest. Splendor, mercy, majesty, love endure. We are but little lower than the angels. Resplendent skies, sunset, sunrise. The grandeur of Creation lifts our lives. Evening darkness, morning dawn. Renew our lives as You renew all time. Prayer by Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation Modim anachnu lach – מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ – grateful, we are, to You – Source of Life: For Earth’s intricate, interconnected, interdependent biosphere. For the marvelous riot of flora and fauna filling every niche. For the diversity of life, among millions of species; and for the diversity of humanity, each of us a unique reflection of Your image. For the gift of Existence, which we must never take for granted! בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית Barukh ata HAVAYA, Eloheinu Ruach ha’olam, oseh ma’aseh v’reisheet Blessed are You, Eternal our G!d, Spirit of the universe, maker of the works of Creation. Modim anachnu lach – מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ – grateful, we are, to You – Source of Connection: For our humble, critical place in Your world. For relationships between people; among all peoples; among all creatures; and with You, Holy Blessed One. For the first enduring covenant You made – not with one group or one species but with kol chai, All Life (Genesis 9) – our enduring call to remember that we’re all in it together: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ. Barukh ata EHEYEH, Eloheinu Ruach ha’olam – zocher ha’brit, v’ne’eman bi’vrito, v’kayam b’ma’amaro Blessed are You, Eternal our G!d, Spirit of the universe – who remembers the rainbow covenant, and is faithful in the divine covenant, and sustains the divine word. Modim anachnu lach – מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ – grateful, we are, to You – Source of Purpose: For setting the very first human mission l’ovdah ul’shomrah (Gen. 2:15), to serve and to guard the ecosystem within which we are one beautiful part. For guiding us lirdof tzedek, to pursue justice, for all Your children. For implanting within us awareness, intelligence, wisdom, and goodness, by which we make meaning for our own lives, and contribute to the good of all. נברך את עין החיים שנתן לנו הזדמנות לתקן את העולם N’varekh et Ain Ha’chayim – sh’natan lanu hizdamnut l’taken et ha-olam Let us Bless the Source of Life – who has given us the sacred opportunity to repair the world. Mostly traditional prayers, woven together by Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb of www.adatshalom.net and www.coejl.org, incorporating phrases from Marcia Falk and Danny Nichols. A note on names and metaphors for G!d – the original Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey name is unpronounceable, for which “Adonai” (‘My Lord’ or ‘My Master’ is the most common convention. Gender-neutral images like “Havaya” (existence) and “Eheyeh” (“I Will Be,” from Exodus 3) are traditionally rooted too, and no less accurate. If you choose to read this set of prayers, use any names or images for G!d that feel right for you… Hindu Prayer May the waters flow peacefully; may the herbs and plants grow peacefully; may all the divine powers bring unto us peace. May the rain come down in the proper time, may the earth yield plenty of corn, may the country be free from war. The supreme Lord is peace. Pawnee prayer Oh, Eagle; come with wings outspread in sunny skies. Oh, Eagle, come and bring us peace, thy gentle peace. Oh, Eagle, come and give new life to us who pray. Remember the circle of the sky; the stars, and the brown eagle, the great life of the Sun, the young within the nest. Remember the sacredness of things Hawaiian Prayer Let us give thanks for the world around us. Thanks for all the creatures, stones and plants Let us learn their lessons and seek their truths, So that their path might be ours, And we might live in harmony, a better life. May the Earth continue to live, May the heavens above continue to live, May the rains continue to dampen the land, May the wet forests continue to grow, Then the flowers shall bloom And we people shall live again. By Hildegard of Bingen God is the foundation for everything This God undertakes, God gives. Such that nothing that is necessary for life is lacking. Now humankind needs a body that at all times honors and praises God. This body is supported in every way through the earth. Thus the earth glorifies the power of God. By St. Basil the Great O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our brothers the animals to whom thou gavest the earth as their home in common with us. We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high dominion of man with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to thee in song, has been a groan of travail. May we realize that they live not for us alone but for themselves and for thee, and that they love the sweetness of live. Prayer from the National Council of Churches Gracious God, your amazing love extends through all time and space, to all parts of your creation, which you created and called good. You made a covenant with Noah and his family, putting a rainbow in the sky to symbolize your promise of love and blessing to every living creature, and to all successive generations. You made a covenant with Abraham and Sarah, blessing them and their descendants throughout the generations. You made a covenant with Moses and the Israelite people to all generations, giving them the 10 commandments and challenging them to choose life. In Jesus, you invite us to enter into a new covenant, in communion with all who seek to be faithful to you. As people of faith, we are called into covenant. Your covenant of faithfulness and love extends to the whole creation. We pray for the healing of the earth, that present and future generations may enjoy the fruits of creation, and continue to glorify and praise you. New Zealand Prayer – From “A New Zealand Book of Prayer” Eternal Spirit, Earth-Maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name shall echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the earth! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.