Laudato Si’
Sunday 25th May 2025, led by Zoe Cuckow
Introduction
This eco-contemplative liturgy is based on Pope Francis’s encyclical letter, Laudato Si’, written in 2015.
Pope Francis called for new patterns of living and spirituality, advocating for an “ecological conversion” within every person and across society. He stressed the urgent need for a fundamental, global rebalancing of technology, business and the planet’s resources, and set out a vision of a renewed relationship of closeness and love of the earth, our “common home.”
The title, Laudato Si’ means ‘Praised be to You’ which is a quote from the first line of St Francis’s Canticle of the Creatures. Pope Francis saw St Francis as a timeless example of joyful, generous self-giving and open-heartedness to God, Creation and all humanity.
Gathering
We start by settling into a comfortable position, slowly stilling our bodies and our breath.
We bring our focus into this space in the midst of all living things. We feel ourselves rooted; reaching deep down to the earth and open to the sky. As we breathe, we open ourselves to all that is around us; every rustling branch and leaf, every insect, and every lichen.
Readings
Canticle of the Creatures, St Francis of Assisi
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praise, the glory, and the honour, and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom You give us light.
He is beautiful and radiant with great splendour; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven.
You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace, for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and give thanks and serve with great humility.
Quotes from ‘Laudato Si’ ‘ : On Care For Our Common Home
“Everything in the world is connected; the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology, the value proper to each creature, the human meaning of ecology, the need for forthright and honest debate, the serious responsibility of international and local policy, the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle.”
“We have to realise that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor”.
“God has joined us so closely to the world around us that we can feel the desertification of the soil almost as a physical ailment, and the extinction of a species as a painful disfigurement.”
“[The bishops asked] what the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” means when 20% of the world’s population consumes resources at a rate that robs the poor nations and future generations of what they need to survive.”
“It is not enough to balance, in the medium term, the protection of nature with financial gain, or the preservation of the environment with progress. Halfway measures simply delay the inevitable disaster. Put simply, it is a matter of redefining our notion of progress. A technological and economic development which does not leave in its wake a better world and an integrally higher quality of life cannot be considered progress.”
“The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. For this reason, the ecological crisis is also a summons to profound interior conversion. … [All Christians] need an “ecological conversion”, whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ becomes evident in their relationship with the world around them. … [This] is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.”
“Let us sing as we go. May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope.”
Meditation (15 minutes)
You are invited to spend 15 minutes in the Southwood Garden or in your own space. You may like to marvel at an element in the natural world like St Francis, or reflect on a quote from Pope Francis, or maybe something else.
Regathering
If you would like to, there is a time to share any reflections from your time of contemplation.
Reading
Psalm 148 Redux
St Francis’ canticle might have inspired by Psalm 148. This is a re-interpretation by Carla Grosch-Miller.
Praise the All -
the Soil, the Source, the Power, the Pulse,
that which surges into life, sweeping death up into its current.
Praise God!
Praise the All -
from the heights, in the depths,
in the voice of all things:
crash of waves and rush of wind,
song of bird and roar of lion,
open-throated praise of woman and man.
Praise!
Praise twinkling in the starry night.
Praise rumbling through the stormy sky.
Praise rolling in the deepest sea.
Praise!
Praise in the swirl of electron and in the chain of DNA.
Praise in the pull of gravity and the inertia of stone.
Praise in the nascent bud and the flowing steam.
Praise!
Praise in you and praise in me.
Praise in old and praise in young.
Praise in song and praise in story.
All of life sings Praise!
A Prayer by Pope Francis
God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty. Praise be to you!
Amen.
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