Photo by Alenka Skvarc on Unsplash
Each week during Laudato Si’ Lent 2022, Laudato Si’ Movement proposes a theme that will help you live out this Lenten season. We invite you to pray about that intention every day of that week. This week’s theme is “Listening to the voice of biodiversity.”
We also feature a weekly question for reflection to help you deepen your action according to the Lenten commitment you have chosen to live this season.
This week’s question is: How does your Lenten commitment help avoid species extinction and endangerment?
Every day, we make countless decisions automatically, without thinking about the impact of our actions on the environment and all of the species that cohabit the Earth. From the products we buy to the life that we give them, each choice we make can either have a positive or negative impact–directly or indirectly–on our environment and the health of all living things. This week, you are encouraged to think about how your money and efforts can be used (or reduced) to make a difference. Here are just a few ideas:
- Consider buying less, shopping at second-hand stores or stores that care about their environmental footprint. You can take it a step further by donating the money you would’ve spent to organizations such as LSM who is committed to protecting all life.
- Take inventory of sustainable changes you could make to your home or work environment, such as ways to conserve energy and water.
- Volunteer for cleanups or afforestation projects in your community
- Remember the 4 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, & Repair
With individual actions, we can educate ourselves and others and help stop beloved species from disappearing at alarming rates.
As Pope Francis states in Laudato Si’, “The earth’s resources are also being plundered because of short-sighted approaches to the economy, commerce and production” (LS 32).
ACT NOW FOR BIODIVERSITY: Sign the Healthy Planet, Healthy People petition
Join us for this Friday’s Way of the Cross at 11am UTC (7pm Manila/ 4:30pm New Delhi/ 10pm Sydney)
This week’s prayer: “Prayer for extinct and endangered species”
Lord God, our Creator
all life forms that exist on our sister mother earth
come from Your hands.
You created us in the diversity of genera and species,
giving each of Your creatures a unique and singular mark.
We praise You, O Father, with all Your creatures!
We praise You, our Lord, for biodiversity!
We contemplate Your action that transforms and recreates everything,
in the diversity of species that throughout natural history
have been appearing or being naturally extinct,
as a natural result of evolution.
Each species contributes, in its own way
to offer humanity, free of charge, the ecosystemic services
that beautify, dignify and fill human life with colors and meaning.
However, today we see the threat to the diversity of life in our common home,
and that human action throughout history has drastically accelerated
the rate of extinction of species, increasing up to 1,000 times the natural rates.
Inspired by Pope Francis, we want to reaffirm:
“We have no right to do so” (LS 33).
We want to turn the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor into our cry.
Teach us, Lord, to care for creation!
Inspire us to commit ourselves and engage in concrete actions
to protect and conserve every species on our planet.
Through Christ, Your Son and our brother. Amen.
By Frair Wellington Buarque, OFM, Laudato Si’ Animator. Pernambuco, Brazil.
Join us for this Friday’s Way of the Cross at 11am UTC (7pm Manila/ 4:30pm New Delhi/ 10pm Sydney)