Back in August of 2015, Pope Francis established the Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation for the Catholic Church. through the Church’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. This unites our Catholic day of prayer with the world day of prayer for the care of creation establish under the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church in 1989.
In the letter establishing this day of prayer, Pope Francis wrote, “The annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will offer individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live.”
Throughout history, we have examples of saints and holy men and women who brought attention to God’s creation in unique ways. I think about St Francis of Assisi, Hildegard of Bingen, and Teilhard de Chardin. No matter what our faith tradition, no matter what our spiritual charism, I think we can all agree that our earth is in need of greater care and stewardship as we pass down our planet for future generations to live here.
Our two readings today give us different perspectives on the story of creation - for Genesis in the Old Testament and the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Those readings tell the story of God’s relationship with his creation. It is our story, a very personal for us who are disciples of Christ. Indeed, this story is not ancient history. This story is no one that was completed long ago. It is a story that is timeless, that is eternal, that continues to unfold to this day. God who created the world is still active in the world today. He is still active in each one of us today.
As Christians, it is our duty to care for creation. It is our duty to bring this awareness to others - to be prophets and proclaimers of this message. I would like to close our homily today by having all of us read “A Christian prayer for union with creation” which was published in Pope Francis’ encyclical letter, Laudato Si. This prayer calls all Christians to pray for inspiration to take up the commitment to creation set before us by the Gospel of Jesus. Let us pray:
Father, we praise you with all your creatures.
They came forth from your all-powerful hand;
they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.
Praise be to you!
Son of God, Jesus,
through you all things were made.
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
You became part of this earth,
and you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
Today you are alive in every creature
in your risen glory.
Praise be to you!
Holy Spirit, by your light
you guide this world towards the Father’s love
and accompany creation as it groans in travail.
You also dwell in our hearts
and you inspire us to do what is good.
Praise be to you!
Triune Lord,
wondrous community of infinite love,
teach us to contemplate you
in the beauty of the universe,
for all things speak of you.
Awaken our praise and thankfulness
for every being that you have made.
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined
to everything that is.
God of love, show us our place in this world
as the channels of your love
for all creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good,
advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
Of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Amen.
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