Sunday Reflection: To live self-controlled, upright and godly lives

This reflection is brought to you by
Titus 1:11-14 and Pope Francis' encyclical
Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home.

Your grace, O God,
is with us always.

But too often we treat your world
like it isn't holy.

Our "worldly passions"
prevent us from
living with self-control,
uprightness,
and godliness.

We forget that your glory
is in everything that you have created,
that creation is sacred,
and that we are called
to see ourselves not as stewards of resources,
but as partners with you
and all your creatures
in the great web of life.

And now our beautiful earth
needs more than prayers
and pious platitudes.

We need to pray
and act,
to do what we can
to avert further climate catastrophe.

We need to heed the scientists
and work a true metanoia,
a real change of heart
in the way we live.

It's a tall order.

But you are so powerful,
John the Baptist felt unworthy
to undo even your sandals.

If anyone can help us
to do the things that we must do,
to make sacrifices for the sake of our future,
you can.

Please,
help us,
O God.

+Amen.

* * * * * * *

I'm finding it a challenge to meditate on scripture when climate scientists from all over the globe are telling us that we need a radical rethinking of our lifestyle... and when our city is under an air quality advisory today because of smog that makes it hard for some to breathe. 

As a result, it feels like I'm being pushed to revisit Laudato Si, Pope Francis' 2015 letter to the world about our struggling planet and what we need to do for it. I've been thinking and praying about this for weeks, and dragging my feet at the same time, because my last foray into the encyclical was a huge amount of time and effort. 

Still, I invite you, if you missed the last go 'round, to join me in looking at sections of the Pope's letter over the Sundays ahead. I'll try to be a little more succinct this time, picking and choosing the most critical pieces, and hopefully I can attach some updated information and links for further reading. And I'll end with a two line prayer/mantra instead of the wonderful Prayer for our Earth found at the end of the encyclical (see the image below).

Come, Holy Spirit,
help us to heal our home and all its creatures.
+Amen.