Season of creation
MANY dioceses and other communities of faith launched on September 1 the “Season of Creation.” The Season of Creation, which runs from September 1 to October 4 each year, is a Christian response to the challenge of instilling in the hearts and minds of people the love and care for God’s creation, which, the Bible tells us, is the responsibility of every woman and man on earth. Every year, around the world, individuals and communities pray and care for creation during this period. Some countries organize forums, rallies, fun runs, contests, and many other activities to mark this season. It is the “Season of Creation” celebrated by Christian churches around the globe in many different ways.
In 2015, Pope Francis released the encyclical “Laudato Si’” in order to exhort all people of goodwill to protect the environment and to care for creation. He stressed that as scientists today conclude that the ecological crises, particularly climate change, is due mainly to human activity, the responsibility of protecting creation also lies in the hands of humanity. Pope Francis pointed to humanity’s greed as the root of the crisis we are facing: “The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air, and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she ‘groans in travail’ (Rom 8:22).” (Laudato Si, 1)
Also in 2015, Pope Francis called on Christians all over the world to observe September 1 as a day of prayer for the care of creation. This year, a joint message was written by Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who jointly invited all the faithful and men of good will to pray and to reflect on how to live in a simple and solid manner, responsibly using earthly goods. Seeing that the natural environment and human environment are deteriorating mutually, the two church leaders called on all people, especially those in authority, to “hear both the cry of the earth and to attend to the needs of the marginalized.”
The Season of Creation is a moment for us to examine ourselves, as individuals and as a people. How much have we contributed to this woundedness and what steps are we taking to bring healing to the broken relationships that we have caused due to self-centeredness and greed? The Season of Creation is an opportunity to ask for forgiveness for the sins against God’s creation and to help restore what was originally good and beautiful.