Day 1 (Traditionally December 16)
A Prayer for All Creation
Creator God, as we prepare for the coming of Your Son, we give thanks for the gift of creation. We give thanks for its beauty and the joy the beauty brings us. We give thanks for light that shines in the darkness, for the stars and the sun, for the air we breathe and the plants and animals that you have created, for earth and water, and for the daily sustenance we draw from them. Inspire us to see You, Creator, through all that You have created—all that you look upon as very good. Help us to care for creation as You instructed us. Help us be stewards of its abundant life. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 2 (Traditionally December 17)
A Prayer for the Animals
Creator God, we give thanks for the animals and for the grand diversity of life you have created. We give thanks for the roles animals play in our lives, especially as our companions. We thank You for the wellbeing they bring us and for the glory the bring to your creation. As creation faces the wave of extinctions wrought by humankind, we ask You to strengthen us with prudence. In these days of preparation for Your Son, help us seek ways of living that allow all Your creatures to flourish. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 3 (Traditionally December 18)
A Prayer for the Plants
Creator God, we give thanks for every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit. We thank You for all that plants provide and offer us, and for all the ways they connect us with all life on Earth. Thank You for the sustenance—physical, emotional, and spiritual—that we draw from the plants. We give thanks for the grain, fruit, and vegetables we eat, and for the shrubs and flowers that fill our homes and parks. We give thanks for the oxygen they produce and the stability they bring to our world. And we give special thanks for the wheat and grapes that, through the work of human hands, become our offering of bread and wine, which you lovingly return to us as the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
As we see the unimaginably rapid destruction of rainforests, grasslands, and aquatic habitats, we ask that You give us courage to speak for the voiceless and to change our lifestyles. Help us encourage our neighbors and policy-makers to care for Your creation.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 4 (Traditionally December 19)
A Prayer for the Land
Creator God, we give thanks for the land. Thank You for the confidence and comfort we feel from the earth beneath bare feet. Thank You for the earth that sustains us, as it is the home of the plants and animals from which we draw sustenance. Thank You for the many uses of minerals in our lives—uses that shelter us, heal us, and connect us.
As we mine Your Earth beyond its capacity, as mountains are carved to nothing and rich soil turns to dust, give us a sense of measure. Help us see when we’ve gone far enough—when we’ve taken enough. As we anticipate Jesus’ birth, help us find a new direction.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 5 (Traditionally December 20)
A Prayer for Water
Creator God, we give thanks for water. We thank You for the rich depths of the seas, their unimaginable variety. We thank You for the rivers and lakes in our communities, for the sparkle of light that dances on their surface.
We thank You for all the ways that water sustains us. We give thanks for the clean water that we are blessed to drink. We give thanks for the moisture that rises from the seas to become the rain that waters our crops. We give thanks for the power of the waves that stay within their shores.
As we pollute and warm Your waters, give us foresight. Help us see the consequences of soiling Your waters and changing their ancient compositions.
Help us protect our children and grandchildren now, by taking even small steps to preserve the great gift of water.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 6 (Traditionally December 21)
A Prayer for the Air
Creator God, we give thanks for the air. We thank you for our enjoyment of its caress. Thank You for the soft play of wind in the treetops and the warm touch of a breeze against our faces. Thank You for the air we breathe, for the breaths we draw every moment.
As we warm the air of Your Earth, help us understand its mighty power, its ability to not only caress but to destroy. As we pollute the air of Your Earth, help us understand how essential it is to breathe itself.
In this season of Advent, give us understanding, and give us the will to use our understanding well.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 7 (Traditionally December 22)
A Prayer for the Climate
Creator God, we give thanks for the climate. Thank You for the interplay of land, water, and heat that gives rise to the weather patterns. Thank You for the complexity and beauty of all Your systems on Earth.
Thank You for the exquisite balance that has cradled humanity. Thank You for the steady predictability of rain and heat that has for centuries allowed us to grow crops, husband livestock, and thrive.
As we wreak havoc on Your climate, especially through our insistent burning of fossil fuels, give us wisdom.
Help us find our rightful place in the great fabric of Your creation.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 8 (Traditionally December 23)
A Prayer for Vulnerable People
Creator God, we give thanks for means to care for the poor. We give thanks for their resilience, for their strength, and for their example. We give thanks for the opportunity to know them, to serve them, and to love them.
As climate change troubles those who live and work so closely with nature, help us grow in solidarity. Help us follow the words of Proverbs, to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”
Help us speak truth in the presence of corruption, selfishness, and short-sightedness. Help us speak prophetically to our brothers and sisters, and to reflect on Your truths in our own lives, that we may change our habits to truly care for all Your beloved children.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day 9 (Traditionally December 24)
A Prayer of Thanks for the Creator
Creator God, we give thanks for You—for your coming among us, and among all that you have created.
Thank You for the magnanimous gift of creation itself, which heralded the birth of Your Son, and to which You joined in the water, minerals, and living flesh of Jesus Christ. Thank You for every aspect of creation, as every bit of its goodness and order reveals You.
Thank You for the love that You manifest in creation. Pope Francis has said that “creation is of the order of love.” We thank You for the gift of Your love beyond measure, and we thank You for bestowing on us the gift to love in return.
Thank You for the sustenance, strength, and peace that Your creation gives us. Thank You for our place within the fabric You have woven. Thank You for the unique gifts bestowed on each of us, and especially for the gifts of resilience and beauty in our poorest sisters and brothers.
We ask that You increase our capacity to love, that You give us the resolve to love in deeds and not simply in words.
We pray this through the newborn Christ, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.