Third Week of Advent: Saturday
Reading: Psalm 71 (72): 1-4, 7-8, 17
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgement.
May the mountains bring forth
peace for the people and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people
and safe the children of the needy.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails,
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.
Reflection In this reflection, I invite you to pray for the healing of all creation. ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth’ (Genesis 1.1) This beautiful work of his hands is now in a very fragile state as climate change wreaks havoc on humanity, land, sea and air. Thousands of people have died from extreme weather events when temperature have soared to heights never previously experienced. Spontaneous combustion has consumed homes leaving people and animals vulnerable to the elements. Lands are parched and unable to bear much of the food of the world, leaving people at risk of starvation. Polluted oceans cannot sustain fish shoals and beautiful aquatic life dies. Forest fires rage destroying the natural habitat of thousands of species of little animals and insects. Deforestation destabilises land leaving it more vulnerable to the fall-out from earthquakes and other phenomenon. The tragic consequences of these events have greatest impact on the poor of the world. Sadly, all too often, politicians remain silent or do not fully implement agreed environmental protection policies. The planet is at a critical stage of its evolution, and we are all accountable for its protection and sustained welfare. As the psalmist says, we will be judged by how we have lived.
We are comforted in the knowledge that ‘Every tribe shall be blessed in him’ if we have cared for this great gift that he has offered to us.