Theophilus of Antioch wrote in the second century: “God cannot be seen by human eyes, but is seen and perceived through his providence and works."
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 148:1-14
Romans 8:19-23
Theophilus of Antioch wrote in the second century: “God cannot be seen by human eyes, but is seen and perceived through his providence and works. Just as one who sees a fully equipped ship entering port assumes that it has a pilot to guide it, so we must perceive that God is the pilot of the entire universe, even though he is not visible to the eyes of the flesh because he is incomprehensible.” Isaac of Nineveh wrote centuries later that the “first book given by God to rational beings is the nature of created things. Instruction by means of ink was added after the transgression.” These words that you are now reading are printed in ink on a page, or reproduced electronically online, yet they can only dimly represent then mark of God on creation. If we cannot marvel at God’s work as Creator, we cannot marvel.
As we dare to love life
we must know pain,
as love means knowing loss.
As you, our God, who has known
lost love
and faith bought by futility,
give us the strength
to dare to love each other
beyond the agony of rejection.
We praise you and give you thanks,
God of steadfast love,
for the great signs of your favour
and your mercy for the whole creation.
You have made all things:
you declared them to be good,
and you love all that brings life.
We proclaim, O Lord, your glory
seen in the immense starry vastness of
the universe and in the smallest
seed of life.
We give thanks for the works of
your hands
and the creation of all people.
Blessed are you for the air that gives
us life.
Blessed are you for the earth that
nourishes us.
Blessed are you for the water that
quenches our thirst.
Blessed are you for the fire that
warms us.
Lord God, Father of lights,
strengthen our hearts in expectation
and hope
as we work for unity and together seek
the harmony of all creation.
Let us be burning lamps,
until the day of the coming of your
Son in glory,
with all his saints in the everlasting
kingdom.
Blessed are you, now and forever, and
to the ages of ages.
AMEN.
(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)
Personal: Explore creative ways to pray, through art, craft, or in nature.
Local: Seek out a church or group near you that is taking action to care for the
natural world. Find out how you can help them.
Global: Consider how your actions can cause damage to God’s world in places
far from you. What can you do to address this?
