September 7

Ps 104:10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;

they flow in between the hills.

11 They give drink to all the beasts of the field;

the wild asses quench their thirst.

12 There the birds of heaven build their nests;

from the branches they sing their song.

Meditation

Now is the time to follow words with deeds. “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience." By working with love and perseverance, we can sow many seeds of justice and thus contribute to the growth of peace and the renewal of hope. It may well take years for this plant to bear its first fruits, years that, for their part, involve an entire ecosystem made up of continuity, fidelity, cooperation and love, especially if that love mirrors the Lord’s own self-sacrificing Love. (Pope Leo XIV)

Musical Selection (Doxecology)

Hear the song of our lament,
we grieve a dry and broken land;
hearts have turned from your intent
and earth is ravaged by our hand.

Oceans weep for beauty lost,
and forests plead for your return,
fields are drenched in tears and blood;
all nature groans beneath sin’s curse.

Have mercy, have mercy,
have mercy on us, Lord.
Renew us, restore us,
have mercy on us, Lord.

Peoples rage and nations rise
to war and waste for senseless gain,
turning from creation’s cries
and trading glory in for shame.

Have mercy...

Lead us in your Eden call
to live as those who bear your name;
show us how to love your world
until the day you come again.

Prayer