Day 16: Lamenting Creatures

Graduate students in the sciences were challenged to translate their research into a prayer of confession—to communicate how the work their doing in creation is addressing the brokenness we see around. And we invite you to join in.

O God, who sustains and provides, we bring our lament for the loss of other creatures with whom we share this world. We confess that we have lived with greed and desired more than we need. O Lord, we long for a world where humanity lives within the right limits of your creation and with the balance that glorifies your name. In the work that we do and the lives that we live bring that day closer. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

A prayer of confession from the Au Sable Graduate Fellows

Questions & Activities

• How does this prayer resonate with you?
• Death and loss is a natural part of this world, and of our lives. Lent is a season to remember this. Perhaps much of our negative habits toward creation are because we forget this fact. We forget that we are here for “life to the fullest” (John 10:10) while we live in the shadow of death. What death is necessary, and what death is a product of human brokenness?
• Write your own prayer of confession around the theme of destruction. It may look something like this: O God, who created the world in love and works to sustain it through grace, we bring our lament for [how do you lament your own destruction of the environment around you]. We confess [what are some ways we are culpable for this destruction?]. O Lord, we long for a world [what is your hope for change?]. Amen.