"The Earth and Its Creatures" with the Rev. Dr. Amy Slaughter Myers

St. Francis Spiritual Sustenance : September 7, 2022 =====================================

Let the earth glorify the Lord; praise God and highly exalt him forever (A Song of Creation, Book of Common Prayer, 89).

If you pray Morning Prayer as it is laid out in the Book of Common Prayer, you are invited to sing canticles in between the readings set out for the day. Let's pray together a portion of Canticle 12 - A Song of Creation. You can find it here:

In this Season of Creation, the Church has a rich tradition of prayers and praises and hymns in thanksgiving to God for all creation and for human beings as a part of God's creation. Not as rulers or those who have power over Creation as has unfortunately been taught for so long, but rather as part of God's creation, called as stewards or custodians of the Earth and all that is in it. Theologian and Lutheran pastor the Rev. Dr. Leah Schade invites us to see the Earth as our neighbor, and thus subject to the Great Commandment to Love God and Love Neighbor. Jesus tells us that it is on this commandment alone that all the law and the writings and the prophets find their source.

Have you ever thought of the Earth as your neighbor? Try this theological framework out. How does it change (or not) the choices you make today and the way you live your life?