The presenter for our second week of Lent is Dominique Marendy from the second cohort of the Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellowship. Dominique is from Australia. Dominique works for the NSW Department of Primary Industries, which is responsible for the administration and development for agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, and biosecurity in New South Wales. Her reflection calls us to deeper ecological responsibility, realizing that caring for our planet is not just an act of environmental stewardship but also a profound spiritual practice.

In the stillness of Lent, as we seek to open our hearts, let us draw inspiration from the harmonious relationship between spirituality and nature. This painting, a serene landscape with a heart-shaped opening to the sky through the tree branches, illuminates the Earth with a radiant light. It symbolizes the divine love that permeates all creation, inviting us to reflect on our integral role within this vast, interconnected web of life.

As we observe this seen we imagine ourselves amongst it, nurturing the Earth – planting trees, cleaning rivers – reminding us of our sacred duty to protect and sustain our environment. Each stroke of care for nature is a prayer, an act of mercy, reflecting Catherine McAuley's vision of compassion and service. These gentle actions remind us that every individual has the power to make a difference, to mend the world in small yet significant ways.

This Lent, let us embrace a deeper ecological responsibility, realizing that caring for our planet is not just an act of environmental stewardship but also a profound spiritual practice. In opening our hearts to the world, we find our hearts expanded by love, compassion, and a renewed commitment to life in all its forms. We are called to be stewards of this Earth, to tend to its needs as diligently as we tend to our own.

May this Lenten journey inspire us to live in greater harmony with nature, recognizing that every act of environmental kindness is a step towards a more merciful, sustainable world. As we walk this path, let us hold in our hearts a vision of a healed world, where humanity and nature exist in respectful and nurturing coexistence, where the lessons of Lent guide us towards a future filled with hope and abundance for all.