I would like to begin with Pope Francis’s prayer, “A prayer for our Earth”

“All Powerful God,
you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.”

It is our social responsibility to make our world a better place to live in, our common home.  A universal call that invites all peoples to respond in our world today.  

The common good, for example, care for the earth and all that is connected to it calls for respect. As a human person it has to begin with me.   The Mercy ministry that I am engaged in is: Social and Pastoral work in development, advocating detrimental issues affecting creation and human persons in our world.

I am honoured and reminded that I am alive. Breathing and having my being is a tremendous and precious gift to me.  As I reflect on the ecology of daily life, my heart beat means everything to me. I embrace my heart beat with gratitude and deep appreciation, a mystery to be pondered on throughout life.

Our heart beat is God's heart beat that requires no scientific explanation to make sense out of it. My heart beats like a twin interconnected with everything that exists within my world and beyond.

God has generously and graciously blest me with absolute power over creation.  And since this is so it enables me to know that I am fully aware that I am created in God’s own image and likeness.  Because God is in charge of his creation, I have been given the responsibility as an ambassador to all that God has made.

Therefore, I have a personal responsibility to maintain a positive, enabling and loving relationship with all of creation.  

It starts right where I am……the air that I breathe, clothes that I wear, food that I enjoy, room that I rest in, home that I live in, the place that I work at and neighbours that I relate to.

In so doing, I feel very privileged that the contributions that I have been able to make have much meaning to the overall wellbeing of the global society and development, creating “heaven on earth” where social justice, peace and harmony are, and, where I am integrated and most at ease.

My internal and external interconnectedness of spiritual, religious, social and environmental, cultural, and ethical contributions are of a collective effort, promoting quality life and human dignity for all of creation.

Spanish translation using DeepL Translator. Traducción al español con DeepL Translator

Maryanne Kolkia rsm is a member of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia & Papua New Guinea (ISMAPNG).

Maryanne is the Director of Mercy Works Papua New Guinea, engaged in Social work in development, advocating against detrimental issues affecting creation and humanity in country and abroad. 'Our social responsibility is to make our world a better place to live in.' 

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