Creation liturgy #3: Litanies of Lament, Confession & Intercession

Only after we affirmed together our dignity and interconnectedness as God-created beings, did we turn to lament, confession and intercession - the three strands intertwined and inseparable in our praying this month.

We wrote a litany for each of the 4 elements, with this common introduction:

LITANY OF LAMENT, CONFESSION & INTERCESSION

We human beings are part of the glory of God’s creation,
but we are also part of its destruction.
With the attentiveness of the Spirit,
let us hear creation’s groaning,
and with hearts broken open,
let us seek God’s forgiveness and healing for all things.

WATER

We have choked the seas with our plastic rubbish
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have polluted the estuaries with our sewage
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have melted the ice caps with our energy consumption
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have dammed the rivers,
dried up the waterfalls,
and dishonoured the Source
of the water of life.
God our Maker, have mercy.

For the sea-creatures killed by our carelessness
God our Maker, have mercy.

For the places and peoples overwhelmed by flooding
God our Maker, have mercy.

For our creature-kin in parched lands dying of thirst
God our Maker, have mercy.

For the victims of conflicts over access to water
God our Maker, have mercy.

For those who have no choice but to make dangerous journeys over the sea
God our Maker, have mercy.

For those who dig life-giving wells and irrigation channels, and those who maintain water pipes and sewage works
God our Maker, have mercy.

For those who bring rescue and relief from floods, droughts and pollution
God our Maker, have mercy.

For those who campaign for accessible, clean water for all
God our Maker, have mercy.

For all those who thirst for justice and peace and healing in our world
God our Maker, have mercy.

For all those who long for the water of life to be undammed, undivided, untamed
God our Maker, have mercy.

For all who have plunged into the waters of baptism (and especially for N, to be baptised here today)
God our Maker, have mercy.

AIR

We have taken for granted the breath of life
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have imagined the air is ours to conquer, flying high and far as if it would cost nothing
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have forgotten that we are connected together by the air we share
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have polluted the air that others must breathe
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have choked our kin-folk with our violence and indifference
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have chopped down the forests, the lungs of the earth
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those wonderful creatures of the air, insects and birds,
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all who seek to make the air clean again
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those who work on wind energy, and carbon capture
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those who plant trees in hope for the future of others
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those who work, and campaign, and fight, and struggle, so that others might simply breathe
God our Maker, have mercy.

FIRE

            We have plundered the earth for fuel to burn
            God our Maker, have mercy.

We have poured petrol into our vehicles as if it cost the planet nothing
God our Maker, have mercy.

            We have sought ‘security’ in the fire power of war and conflict
            God our Maker, have mercy.

We are letting our planet get hotter and hotter
            and remain indifferent or paralysed
            God our Maker, have mercy.

We have been too slow to invest in alternative energy,
when your sun has shone on us every day.
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those in places becoming too hot to live
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those whose homes are at daily risk of fire
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those victims of deadly fires and the indifference of others,
especially the many residents of Grenfell Tower who died, or lost loved ones
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those who struggle to heat their homes, and all who are anxious about this coming winter
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those places scorched by forest fires, for their renewal and regrowth
God our Maker, have mercy.

On fire-fighters, and all who put their lives on the line to rescue human and non-human life
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those working on alternative energy sources, and those campaigning for better insulation
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all your creatures,
that we may bask in the warmth of your Son,
and that the flame of your loving-kindness may unite us
in solidarity and commitment
God our Maker, have mercy.

EARTH

               We have forgotten we are earth-creatures,
               and treated the earth as our possession:
               God our Maker, have mercy.

We have over-farmed the land,
and forgotten that it too needs rest:
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have sought to control what grows and what doesn’t,
and poisoned the soil and its creatures
with our fertilisers and weedkillers:
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have broken open the earth to plunder its treasures,
extracting for our needs until the earth itself groans and shakes:
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have dug and built wherever we have wanted to,
disrupting and destroying complex and wonderful ecosystems:
God our Maker, have mercy.

We have built dividing walls and fences
to make private what you have given us to share in common:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all victims of landslides and earthquakes,
and those whose land has become arid and infertile:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all who are displaced by environmental change or conflict,
seeking safety and security far from home:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all who struggle to feed themselves and their children,
without land or livelihood that they can rely on:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all those who love the land:
gardeners and conservationists, guerrillas and green connectors:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all those involved in planning our built environments,
and protecting areas of ecological richness:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all who work the land, on the road, in factories and in shops,
to bring food to our tables:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On those involved in changing our means of food production,
developing organic, animal-friendly and low carbon footprint foods:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all those involved in waste collection and disposal,
and those who help us reduce, reuse and recycle:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all who campaign for an opening of access to land,
and a fair distribution of the earth’s resources:
God our Maker, have mercy.

On all of the earth’s creatures,
that we may find new ways to live in harmony and mutual care:
God our Maker, have mercy.