The marvels of CREATION

Fr Liam O’Callaghan and the people of Pakistan caring for the environment. - Photo: St Columbans Mission SocietyFr Liam O’Callaghan and the people of Pakistan caring for the environment. - Photo: St Columbans Mission Society
The Season of Creation is a graced time in the Church, a celebration of our relationship with God our Creator and all creation. The celebration begins on September 1st, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and concludes on October 4th, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, patron of ecology. During the month-long celebration Christians are invited to "Listen to the Voice of Creation".

A symbol for the Season of Creation this year is the flame in the burning bush, seen by the prophet Moses when he arrived at Mt Horeb, the mountain of God. Moses saw that the burning bush was not consumed by the flame and turned aside to see this marvel of creation. God told Moses the ground on which he was standing was holy and asked him to lead the people out of misery. The flame in the bush would be a sign of God’s enduring presence and love (Exodus 3:1-12).

The Season of Creation helps us to reflect on the holy ground of where we are. In everyday life there is evidence of the goodness of God in creation. God’s spirit calls us to take notice. The ecumenical Season says, “creation never stops proclaiming”. It is a time for us to use our senses and open our hearts and minds. Thomas Merton, the American Trappist monk, said: “Let us come alive to the splendour that is all around us and see the beauty in ordinary things”. Having a sense of place helps us to grow in our relationship with God and be bearers of God’s good news, bringing freedom, peace and happiness to God’s people and all creation.

People who spend time observing and listening to creation, often speak of a deep sense of awe and reverence for God’s gifts. There is a wonderful majesty about the intelligence of living beings and the inter-workings of the community of life. Noticing the amazing wonders of creation can be illuminating experiences of God’s abundant grace.

In the turmoil of pandemic lock-downs, local parks and natural features became places of refuge and spiritual renewal. Fourteenth-century English Anchoress, Julian of Norwich, who lived at the time of the Black Death, said: “There is a Force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go.”

God’s loving Self burst forth in the creation of the universe, revealed by modern science to be fourteen billion years old. Columban Fr Liam O’Callaghan, the Columban Peace, Ecology and Justice coordinator in Pakistan, says we are called to think in a bigger way and to revise our theological concepts about the presence of God in creation to include the story of the universe. Fr Liam says if we can expand our thinking and theology, this can make a huge difference in our age of social and ecological crisis.

Personal experiences and the insights of science and our faith tradition inspire many people to nurture the beauty of creation and notice that all is not well. The web of life is in danger from unprecedented rises in global temperature and environmental destruction, leading to major disruption and suffering. This year in Australia, severe floods in Lismore, Brisbane and Sydney have brought immense suffering to so many people. The magnitude and frequency of weather events such as these are attributed to global warming.

The 2021 State of the Environment Report, recently published in Australia, declared the state of health of the Australian environment is poor and deteriorating. Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent and increasing numbers of plant and animal species and whole ecological communities are threatened. Among those listed as critically endangered are the Leadbeater’s possum and the helmeted honeyeater. These unique animals represent a sense of pride about place as emblems of the State of Victoria, but their survival is now in jeopardy. Koalas have also recently been added to the endangered list in several states across Australia.

These animals are just one among many species of plants and animals in a similar plight worldwide. Extinctions are occurring at rates never experienced before in Earth's history. The figures are so large they are difficult for us to comprehend. Major causes of the loss of animal and plant species are climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and resource extraction.

Over the past four years of the Fifth Plenary Council, the Church in Australia has been listening to explore what it is we are called to do and how we are called to be God’s presence today and into the future. Many voices were lifted through the meetings of the Plenary Council, including the cries of Earth. It is clear that the Church in Australia is deeply concerned and committed to doing more in response.

The Plenary Council acknowledged the unique place of the wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in caring for Country, long before Abraham “set out for the promised land, and who continue to do so today”. As people of faith, we are invited to respond in solidarity to the cries of our times, and our ecological conversion is both a personal and communal commitment. The final document of the Plenary Council stated: “Pope Francis’ landmark Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ powerfully pointed out that we do not stand outside creation but are joined in a splendid universal communion.” The Season of Creation is a timely opportunity to heed creation’s voice right around the world.

Sr Caroline Vaitkunas RSM, Peace, Ecology and Justice Office, Columban Mission Centre, Essendon.

Listen to "The marvels of CREATION"

Related links

The Far East - New Subscription

Code : 4

In Stock | MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

$6.00  

Annual subscription to The Far East magazine, published by St Columbans Mission Society 8 times per year. It features mission articles and photographs by Columban Missionaries from the countries where they work.

 

See all products