Shorter story means time for a longer prayer. I don’t think prayer should be a sermon, but yet, when done correctly, it can teach us—including the one praying—something about who God is, and what our relationship is to Him. Still, this is a good story to illustrate that maybe things aren’t quite so bad now, when it comes to the environment, as some would have us believe. In the U.S., at least, we’ve done a pretty good job of cleaning things up. This doesn’t mean, of course, that our roles as stewards of God’s creation is over. It is always a good thing to reduce pollution when we can, but it should be reassuring to see how far we have actually come.
Be good stewards.
Today is Earth Day. It’s a rather recently instituted commemoration, having begun in 1970, and was first started to help spur action in defense of the environment. And action was needed in the ‘70s. Things were pretty bad. I’m not talking about reducing your carbon footprint because of what effect it might have in later decades or generations. I’m talking about the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio catching fire. That’s right: the river, burning, which it has done 13 times in all since 1868.
The final time was on June 22, 1969, when sparks from a passing train ignited the oil-slicked debris floating in the river. The fire—in the river—burned for nearly half an hour, with flames reaching as high as five stories above the water.
The Cuyahoga River fire in 1969 and efforts by folks like those who created Earth Day led to the creation and passing of the National Environmental Policy Act, which became law on January 1, 1970. The act created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which subsequently proposed the Clean Water Act in 1972, setting standards for the cleanliness of national waterways.
The Cuyahoga is one of the Clean Water Act’s greatest success stories. Not only does the river no longer catch fire, it is now home to 60 different species of fish, and in 1998 was designated as one of 14 American Heritage Rivers. Now, not only can you catch fish in the river, according to the Ohio EPA they are safe to eat.
Things like Earth Day were effective in making people aware of just how bad things had gotten as a result of neglect and indifference. The level of conscientiousness that most Americans now have for the environment is such that we are shocked by how bad things once were in our country, and makes pollution of any kind almost unthinkable. Although there is always more to do, we have certainly come a long, long way thanks to things like Earth Day.
Earth Day is a good time to thank God for the gift of His creation, and commit to do our part in taking good care of this gift.
LET US PRAY
O Creator, who brought all things into existence from nothing, and with ineffable wisdom gave to each one to accomplish unerringly the goal which you laid down in the beginning, O Savior, Lover of mankind, as you are powerful, bless the whole creation which you fashioned.
O Lord, who wraps creation in clouds, watch over the environment of the earth, which you created from the beginning for the preservation of man, and give us the breath of the winds and the flow of waters.
Almighty God, who created all things with wisdom and who watches over and guides them by your all-powerful hand, grant well-being that all creation may prosper and remain unharmed by hostile elements; for you, Master, commanded that the works of your hands should remain unshaken until the ends of the age; for you spoke and they came into being and they receive from you mercy for the turning away of all harm, and for the salvation of the mankind.
Merciful God, who loves humankind, look with an eye of compassion upon the works of your hands. Take pity then on what you have fashioned and give to all prudence not to act senselessly, the result of which is corruption, granting to all pardon and salvation and divine mercy. Keep undamaged, O Word, the whole environment which girds the earth from harmful influences. At your command deliver the earth on which we dwell from every harm and from harsh ruin, and speedily avert from it and abolish by your will destructive emanations and pour out the fresh dew of life-sustaining air. Fence about the whole enclosure of the environment, O Master and Savior, with your mighty power, granting to all pardon and salvation and divine mercy. Through compassionate pity, O Word, you took another form, refashioned corrupted nature and brought it back to incorruption; and now we beseech you, grant stability to the inhabited world and well-being to all creation and deliverance from perils for the salvation for the salvation of our souls.
AMEN
(Prayer is taken from the Vespers for the Preservation of Creation)
An Orthodox Priest Abroad 