September 9.   HOPE AND ACT WITH CREATION, IN THE SEASON OF CREATION (From BECOMING ECO-FRIENDLY FAMILIES)

The Season of Creation is an interdenominational event celebrated annually worldwide with Christians from many countries and many organisations including those linked to Laudato Si,  Pope Francis’ encyclical on “Caring for our Common Home.”   The theme chosen by the SoC team for 2024  invites us to “HOPE AND ACT WITH CREATION.” How are we called to do so?  … we must truly listen to creation’s groaning, push for more action so that we’re more aware than ever of the problems.

Pope Francis’ message for September 1 the Day of Prayer for Creation states, “to hope and act with creation means to live an incarnational faith that can enter into the suffering and hope-filled “flesh” of others, sharing in the expectation of the bodily resurrection believers are predestined to in Christ the Lord.  Our lives can become a song of love for God, for humanity and for creation and find their fullness in holiness.

There are different dimension of Christian hope.  It is not superficial but concrete and rooted in God’s character, promises and actions.  It inspires us to act, as individuals but especially collectively.  The first-fruits of hope are seen when we do so and listen to the voices the poor, our global neighbours impacted by climate change, indigenous people, creatures going extinct, children and young people, and when we learn from the slow cycles of life of different species and ecosystems. 

The SoC special 2024 resources  refer to the African wisdom of Ubuntu which teaches that a sense of self is shaped by relationship with others. The famous saying “it takes a village to raise a child” is taken further when we consider that “it takes a cosmic collective family to care for creation. We are nature, nature is us. We are God’s hands for global and cosmic justice.”     

  • Couples and families can adopt the ubuntu mentality for their own celebration of the SEASON OF CREATION as we become actively involved, choosing projects and actions for ourselves or ideally also together with others. Go to  www.seasonofcreation.org for suggestions. E.g advocacy around the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty which brings together nations, civil society and FBOs to reduce fossil fuel use.
  • Promote the Season of Creation in your workplace, local community, school, church groups – youth, justice and peace, sodalities or prayer and care groups. For example a school group can include parents in a local clean-up, A special benefit would be to “do with” rather than “do for.” 
  • Organise an interdenominational gathering, inviting a family group from another Christian denomination to share some prayer time, possibly in the outdoors, or another activity, e.g. a prayer walk, or talk walk. .
  • Start or join clean-up projects in your particular environment, e.g. urban, rural,  at the sea.   World Cleanup Day is on 20 September.  Become water-wise in saving and protecting fresh water sources too.

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  It happened that on a Sabbath, when Jesus entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered Jesus said, “I ask you is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” Pope Francis:   The majority of people living on our planet profess to be believers.  This should spur religions to dialogue among themselves for the sake of protecting nature, defending the poor and building networks of respect and fraternity.  LS 201.

Eco-tip and prayer:  As an ecumenical initiative check out how different believers practise listening to the voice of creation, to the “cry of the poor and the cry of the earth.” Hold a combined prayer service.  Pray Glory be to the Father……………