Prayers for the Planet in Poland

 This is God's wondrous world. O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong. God is the ruler yet.
This is God's wondrous world: why should my heart be sad?
Let voices sing, O let the heavens ring!
        God reigns, let earth be glad.

This morning there was an ecumenical worship service in the arch-cathedral of Katowice, Poland, the host country for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. No wonder they use the acronym COP24! Prayers for the work of this environmental conference were held in the 10,000 Catholic parishes in Poland today, which is a reminder of Pope Francis' commitment to care for Creation. 

Prayer seems particularly important after a discouraging vote yesterday. Attempts to incorporate a key scientific study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change into these global climate talks have failed with the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait objected to this meeting "welcoming" the report, even though more than 100 other countries were in favour. Of course those four countries are major oil producers and users so it would appear that keeping heads in the sand -- or up their posteriors -- has led them to reject the scientific evidence.The IPCC report on the impacts of a temperature rise of 1.5C, had a significant impact when it was launched last October. Scientists and many delegates in Poland were shocked that these countries objected to this meeting "welcoming" the report.

I continue to pray for the healing of Creation and the courage of leaders from around the world to make decisive choices for the future for all creatures on the planet. I do get discouraged when it seems as though we don't have a prayer. Yet I hold fast to the words of the hymn: "that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet."