“Lord what can we do now, oh good lord what can we do?….they are starving…They have no one but you.” Declan O’Rourke lyric from Chronicles of the Great Irish Famine

We are already seeing hunger, homelessness and health problems as a result of the changing climate. All of this will grow worse barring massive intervention on many levels and in many locations.

“Oh good lord what can we do?”

Perhaps some answers to that prayer can be found during Lent this year.

I will be studying Isaiah 58: 6-12, a passage that addresses fasting, a discipline many practice during Lent.

I will also fast from food each Friday during Lent, maintaining a liquids only diet. I hope this enables me to feel greater empathy and compassion for those who are suffering, and will suffer, the scourge of hunger, homelessness and health problems brought on by or made worse by the changing climate. I hope some faithful actions will become clear.

My theme for Lent 2019 is ” DRAW OUT THY SOUL & DRAW DOWN THY CARBON: A CLIMATE JUSTICE LENTEN EMPHASIS— “The kind of fasting I have chosen…spend yourselves (draw out thy soul -KJV) in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed.” Isaiah 58 NIV.

Not only will I be fasting on Fridays, but I will also be meeting over the lunch hour (noon to 1 p.m.) with others for conversation and prayer.

Joining this lenten journey

I’ll post my weekly reflections every Wednesday during Lent starting on Ash Wednesday, March 6th. Read these posts and consider leaving a comment.

Fast on Fridays. This could be a liquids only diet for the day or a one meal only Friday fast. Another alternative is to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet for part or all of Lent.

Meditate upon Isaiah 58:6-12. Ask yourself what a faithful response would be.

Join us for the Friday conversation each Friday at noon in the Parrot Gallery at Community Mennonite Church, 328 W. Orange St, Lancaster,PA. The public is invited. All are welcome!

If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog contact me for details.

Pray this Climate blessing (by Sr. Joan Brown, NM Interfaith Power and Light)

“We Hold the Earth
We hold brothers and sisters who suffer from storms and droughts intensified by climate change.
We hold all species that suffer.
We hold world leaders delegated to make decisions for life.
We pray that the web of life may be mended through courageous actions to limit carbon emissions.
We pray for right actions for adaptation and mitigation to help our already suffering earth community.
We pray that love and wisdom might inspire my actions and our actions as communities. . .
so that we may, with integrity, look into the eyes of brothers and sisters and all beings and truthfully
say, we are doing our part to care for them and the future of the children.
May love transform us and our world with new steps toward life.”

This drawing out and drawing down emphasis is co-sponsored by Pax JC, a committee from Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster.