As oil continues to spill into the Gulf of Mexico, we lift up prayers for the people of the gulf, for the livelihoods that will be affected and for the devastated environment. We invite you to use the following materials in your worship.
Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness
Prayer of Confession by Rev. Mari Castellanos
Creator God, author of life, source of all meaning, you made a universe of infinite complexity and beauty and entrusted us humans with the care of a tiny jewel called Earth.
With the passing of time we came to believe we were owners, not mere creature dwellers, of this bountiful planet and its extravagant web of life. We have used its resources without regard for the impact our rapacity had on the other creatures with whom we share our earthly home. We have acted with craven disregard for complex ecosystems we barely understand. Our self-deception has led us to assume we have the capacity to manage environments we exploit to sustain lifestyles that defy the intrinsic interdependence of all life. Now we face the consequences of our idolatry. We thought we were gods; but our recklessness has brought us to our knees, to ask for your mercy and forgiveness for the chaos we have brought about. We pray for the oceans and all the creatures that dwell in it. We pray for the forests and the abundance of life they nurture. We pray for the very air we breath, now laden with the toxic gases we produce. We pray for our children whose earthly home we have so imperiled. Loving God, have mercy on us, grant us forgiveness and the strength to make amends.
Assurance of Forgiveness
There are no sins so great that the mercy of God cannot forgive. Go with God's grace to make amends by embracing lifestyles that will help restore balance and harmony to our earthly home and to care for those whose environments have been destroyed by our actions and inactions. Amen.
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Litany: Poisoned Sea, Impoverished Soul
Poisoned sea, impoverished soul: A litany of lament over a despoiled ocean
By Ken Sehested, co-pastor of Circle of Mercy in Asheville, NC
In the beginning, darkness covered the face of the deep.
Then the Breath of Heaven swept across the waters, blessing the sea with all manner of creatures.
The sea knows its Maker and roars its applause; the fish therein leap at the sound of God's voice.
Through the baptismal waters of the Red Sea did the Israelites escape their tormentors and emerge to freedom's demand.
Surely, says the Prophet, the day will come when the whole earth will be covered with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Through the waters of obedience did Jesus enter the Way. By the Galilee Sea did he call disciples; on its waves did he come to them; by his power, its storm subdued. On its shore he revealed his resurrection insurrection.
But now, on our border, the sea has been poisoned. The deeps, made for praise, now drowning, voice hushed.
Poisoned sea, impoverished soul. Hear now our plea; come, make us whole.
The oil of sweet gladness, the mark of rejoicing, now chokes the earth's womb, its legacy crushed.
Poisoned sea, impoverished soul. Hear now our plea; come, make us whole.
The fowl overhead, the fish down below, are fouled by the rupture of greed-driven lust.
Poisoned sea, impoverished soul. Hear now our plea; come, make us whole.
Have mercy upon us, bring our hearts to repentance; and bind us again to your covenant trust.
Poisoned sea, impoverished soul. Hear now our plea; come, make us whole.
LET US NOW PRAY FOR THE OCEAN AND THE LIFE IT SUPPORTS.
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Stillspeaking Daily Devotional
BP
Excerpt from Ezekiel 32:1-15
"You consider yourself a lion among the nations, but you are like a dragon in the seas; you thrash about in your streams, trouble the water with your feet, and foul your streams….I will haul you up in my dragnet…I will let the wild animals of the whole earth gorge themselves with you….then I will make their waters clear."
Reflection by Quinn G. Caldwell
Given the fouling of the waters that's been going on in the Gulf of Mexico these last months, it's tempting to make British Petroleum the object of Ezekiel's diatribe.
And, since I'm mad as hell and have never been very good at resisting temptation, I think I'll do just that. Won't you join me?
**Pause to fantasize about God eviscerating BP and letting the vultures eat its innards, also bringing about massive remorse in the bigwigs responsible, also helping the former employees of the now-defunct company find healthy, productive new jobs, also helping me live a life that doesn't depend on fossil fuels, also descending from heaven with some sort of celestial vacuum to suck all the oil out of the water**
Aaah. Delightful.
One of the great gifts of rants like this is to serve as a container for whatever feelings threaten to overwhelm us. Mad? Terrified? Broken? Somebody, I promise, has written a biblical poem, prophecy, or song just right for you. They are a reminder that God is often mad (or sad, or whatever) about the very same things we're mad about; more importantly, they're a reminder that we're supposed to be mad about the same things God's mad about.
Of course, we miss the boat if we sit around fantasizing all day. The point is the repair of the world. So, remembering that it's always best to let God decide about vengeance and punishment, try this: do the fantasy again, but this time, see whether there isn't a role that you can play in making the fantasy real.
Prayer
God, thank you for the gift of inspiring visions, and even guilty pleasure fantasies. But don't let me stay in my imaginings; give me the strength to go out and do something. Amen.
About the Author
Quinn G. Caldwell is Associate Minister of Old South Church in Boston, Massachusetts.
More Stillspeaking Daily Devotionals
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