From My Nature Journal: Welcome to the ‘Season of Creation’

Before too much more of the month of September gets past me, I wanted to get something on my blog regarding what is known in some Christian circles as the Season of Creation. To my neglect, I was not at all familiar with it as such before my recent connection this past year with the Greening Congregations Collaborative, a local ad hoc association of churches here in our new Washington digs committed to creation care, about whom I have written before. And once again, it seems it is our Catholic friends whom we have to thank for the original effort.

The Season of Creation is a special time when people of Christian faith are urged to pray and work toward greater stewardship of God’s good Earth. It actually is celebrated annually from September 1^st through, appropriately, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4^th (or St. Francis’ birthday, if you prefer). Even if you are not Catholic, it will be well for you to know that he IS, after all, the Patron Saint of Ecology. Of course, it’s not as though one should ever really celebrate Earth stewardship for one month and neglect the issue the remainder of the year. Good stewardship is good stewardship, and one month of it is not intended to be a bad stewardship ‘offset.’ Creation care is a critical dimension of Christian discipleship – always has been, always will be – and it is becoming increasingly important as Earth’s degradation dangerously proceeds.

Anyway, I’ll quit preaching. Here is a prayer that Christ-followers are urged to pray and work toward :

Divine Creator,

For the web of life that connects us all, we give thanks.

For the sacred places where we hear Your still small voice, we listen.

For those carrying the heavy burden of climate injustice, we speak out.

Guide us to be good stewards of Your marvelous creation.

Inspire us to advocate for our common home.

Help us work for justice so all may receive Your abundance.

Amen.

Find out more on the Season of Creation website, https://seasonofcreation.org/about/. You could also check out one of my favorite Christian faith-based creation care organizations, Earth Ministry. Find them at https://earthministry.org.

~~ RGM, September 5, 2019