Now, you're going to want to do some yoga and rid your space of negative energy before reading further. It's about to get so spiritual in here...
From the bulletin of St. Francis Xavier, NYC, the notorious Jesuit church downtown. This is a parish that has a lesbians' group, but not a women's group:
Dear Parishioners,
In my homily last Sunday I ended with an alternative to the traditional Act of Contrition. Given that it was Earth Day, I felt that we who are fortunate enough to live on this beautiful planet need to continually ask for forgiveness for our sins against her. Many of you were kind enough to ask me for copies of this prayer so I include it here.
Oh mother earth, we are heartily sorry for having offended you. And we detest all our sins against creation because we dread the loss of this heavenly earth and the pains of a planet that we have misused. But most of all because we have offended you, mother earth who are all good and deserving of all our love. We firmly resolve with the help of God’s grace to confess our sins against you, to do penance and care for our earth, to change and amend our ways in this world. And to always recognize creation as God’s gift.
I’m also including an Ignatian Examen, for Reconciling God, Creation and Humanity. This Examen was created by the Office of Justice and Ecology at the Jesuit Conference and the Ignatian Solidarity Network:
- I give thanks to God for creation and for being wonderfully made. Where did I feel God’s presence in creation today?
- I ask for the grace to see creation as God does – in all its splendor and suffering. Do I see the beauty of creation and hear the cries of the earth and the poor?
- I ask for the grace to look closely to see how my life choices impact creation and the poor and vulnerable. What challenges or joys do I experience as I recall my care for creation? How can I turn away from a throwaway culture and instead stand in solidarity with creation and the poor?
- I ask for the grace of conversion towards ecological justice and reconciliation. Where have I fallen short in caring for creation and my brothers and sisters? How do I ask for a conversion of heart?
- I ask for the grace to reconcile my relationship with God, creation and humanity, and to stand in solidarity through my actions. How can I repair my relationship with creation and make choices consistent with my desire for reconciliation with creation?
- I offer a closing prayer for the earth and the vulnerable in our society.
COMMENT: Pretty sure this isn't satire, but who the heck knows anymore! Now let's recall that these folks are in full communion with the Vatican. They're big time fans of the Second Vatican Council, dig the New Mass, and think Francis is God's gift to the gender-fluid masses. They're not perfect, sure, but at least they're not the Society of St. Pius X. Everything is awesome...so long as you've got your full communion groove on.
This, by the way, from the same church that brought us the "Anything Goes Parish Cabaret" -- anything goes, as long as it's 40% acceptance, 60% tenderness, and 0% carbon footprint:
Wow, man!
