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2020 “Season of Creation”
September 1 to October 4
Theme: Jubilee: Rest and Restoration for the Earth and Her People
This resource provides ongoing reflection, formation, and action ideas to fully enter into this season of creation, which begins on the World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation on September 1st and ends with the Feast of St. Francis on October 4th. This year’s event takes place within the context of the special Laudato Si’ Anniversary Year, which Pope Francis opened on Sunday, 24 May, 2020. The Year coincides with the 5th anniversary of his encyclical on creation called Laudato si’
Pope Francis said during last year’s World Day of Prayer for Creation, “Saint Bonaventure, that eloquent witness to Franciscan wisdom, said that creation is the first ‘book’ that God opens before our eyes, so that, marvelling at its order, its variety and its beauty, we can come to love and praise its Creator (cf. Breviloquium, II, 5, 11).”
This year, amid crises that have shaken our world, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re awakened to the urgent need to heal our relationships with creation and each other. During this Season of Creation, we enter a time of restoration and hope, a jubilee for our Earth, that requires radically new ways of living with creation. Christians around the world will use this period to renew their relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment. This year’s Season of Creation is a time to consider the integral relationship between rest for the Earth and ecological, economic, social, and political ways of living. This particular year, the need for just and sustainable systems has been revealed by the far-reaching effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. We yearn for the moral imagination that accompanies the Jubilee. As followers of Christ from around the globe, we share a common role as caretakers of God’s creation. We rejoice in this opportunity to care for our common home and the sisters and brothers who share it. This resource was put together by the Care for Creation Ministry and the Office of Justice and Peace at St. Francis of Assisi. Contact Trevor Thompson, Director of the Office of Justice and Peace for any questions or comments. Feel free to share the good news of your participation in this Season of Creation as well.
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - World Day of Prayer for Creation
On this World Day of Prayer for Creation, pray one of these prayers:
Wednesday, Sept. 2 Love for Brother Sun
The heading and text that follows is from Love for Brother Sun:
Saint Francis loved the sun and fire above all other things. He often said,
"In the morning, when the sun rises, everyone ought to praise
God, Who created it for our use. Through it our eyes see the day. And
in the evening, when it becomes dark, everyone ought to also give
thanks for fire. Through it our eyes can see it at night. For we would all
be blind without Brother Sun and Brother Fire to enlighten our eyes.
And therefore, we ought especially to praise the Creator Himself for these and other creatures* we use daily."
*Saint Francis thought of both the sun and fire as living things.
Mirror of Perfection, 119 (From Saint Francis Sings to Brother Sun: A Celebration of His Kinship with Nature- Selected and Retold by Karen Pandell)
Thursday, Sept. 3. Love for Brother Sun
Our parish at St. Francis is currently installing 216 solar modules to reduce the energy needed for Clare Hall from the Duke electricity grid. We will use what we need from the sun, purchase some electricity from Duke, and sell our excess power back to Duke through a bi-directional electric meter.
See this link to learn and listen how the sun drives our Earth ecosystems. Gordon Hempton describes it as “Earth as a Solar Powered Jukebox”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRTbVUcO5Wo
Friday, Sept 4. Love for Brother Sun
Perhaps, the sun is something we take for granted. Do we know where the sun’s energy comes from? Do we know the sun’s role in the seasons? Do we know about sunspots and solar flares? Do we know about the solar cycle? Do we know why the sun burns us? Do we know how the energy from the sun fuels us through the food we eat and powers our lives in our electricity? The Sun is our source of energy. Find out more here for further education, exercises, and games:
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/sun/
Saturday, Sept. 5 - Creation Time Activity
Go outside with your family. Walk or look around and ‘read’ nature. Linger and meditate on something that attracts your attention. Ask what God is saying to you and listen to the answer. Relax, contemplate and give thanks. Share your insights with family members. Pray the Our Father or Prayer for our Earth from Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ letter about caring for people and our common home Earth.
Sunday Sept. 6 - Sabbath Pope Francis writes in Laudato si’, “Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world...In this way, Christian spirituality incorporates the value of relaxation and festivity...Rest opens our eyes to the larger picture and gives us renewed sensitivity to the rights of others. And so the day of rest, centred on the Eucharist, sheds it light on the whole week, and motivates us to greater concern for nature and the poor.”
Read the scripture readings for today: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090620.cfm
Reflect on the themes of “Love your neighbor as yourself” as it relates to the call for reconciliation, relationship and actions for our “earth as neighbor.”
Action: What would it look like to restore my relationship - to love - my neighbor, the earth, today? How might my rest today be part of my healing relationship with self, other, creation, and God?
Monday, Sept. 7 Water
Water is another important gift of God’s creation. Water is indeed essential for all life on, in, and above the Earth. This is important to you because you are made up mostly of water. How important is water to the human body? Find out here: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/water-you-water-and-human-body?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
Tuesday, Sept. 8 Water
Did you know that water is neither created or destroyed, but changes from one form to another? Imagine: the same water that was around at the time of Jesus may be the same that we drink or bathe in today! While washing your hands today in water, reflect on a water scripture in the Old Testament. To find out more see: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=NRSVCE&quicksearch=water&begin=1&end=46
Watch this short video about “Our Thirsty World” from National Geographic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pXuAw1bSQo
Wednesday, Sept. 9 Water
While encountering water today, reflect on a water scripture in the New Testament: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=NRSVCE&quicksearch=water&begin=47&end=73
Thursday Sept 10 Water
What sacraments involve water? The holy water we use when we sign ourselves with the cross is a kind of sacrament. What does the water symbolize? Why does the priest put water in the chalice? What does the water the priest uses to wash his hands symbolize? Why else is water important to our faith?
Friday Sept. 11 Water
In many places around the world, getting access to available water is part of one’s daily life. Watch the “Burden of Thirst”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q54a4PCV9Ac and consider the feelings in your body after watching this video.
Learn how you can provide water access to those in need through Water.org: https://water.org or Living Water International https://water.cc/ or the Sisters of St. Francis’s Sister Water Project: http://www.osfdbq.org/sister-water-project-main/sister-water-project/
Saturday, Sept. 12 - Creation Time Activity
Go outside with your family. Walk or look around and ‘read’ nature. What do you notice?
Linger and meditate on something that attracts your attention.
Ask what God is saying to you and listen to the answer. Invite your family members to share what they noticed.
Relax, contemplate and give thanks.
Pray the Our Father or Prayer for our Earth from Laudato Si.
Sunday, Sept. 13 - Sabbath Pope Francis writes in Laudato si’, “Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world...In this way, Christian spirituality incorporates the value of relaxation and festivity...Rest opens our eyes to the larger picture and gives us renewed sensitivity to the rights of others. And so the day of rest, centred on the Eucharist, sheds it light on the whole week, and motivates us to greater concern for nature and the poor.”
Read this Sunday’s scripture readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091320.cfm
Reflect on the theme of “Love one another with mercy, forgiveness, and love.”
Actions: How might I have mercy on the Earth and Love one another? Do something merciful for someone else, for the earth? Rest in God’s love and give that love away to another.
Monday, Sept. 14 Food
Reflect on this thought: “in this slice of bread, there is sunshine, there is cloud, there is the labor of the farmer, the joy of having flour, and the skill of the baker and then—miraculously!—there is the bread.” From How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Reflect further: What is a story from the Bible that speaks about bread? What steps are necessary between wheat growing in the field and the slice of bread on your table?
Tuesday, Sept. 15 Food
There is a relationship between what we eat and how many others resources it takes for that food to get to our mouths. Learn about how much water is needed for your food choices: https://www.watercalculator.org/footprint/foods-big-water-footprint/
Wednesday, Sept. 16 Food
Eating is something we do regularly that we often give very little thought to, like most of what we consume and buy. Pope Benedict reminded us, however, that “Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic – act” (Caritas in Veritate (29 June 2009).
Read this article (and possibly the linked references and other resources) and reflect on how the very act of eating is a moral, political, economic, and agriculture act: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/04/the-wendell-berry-sentence-that-inspired-michael-pollans-food-obsession/275209/#:~:text=When%20Berry%20says%20%22eating%20is,resonate%20with%20so%20many%20people
We can indeed shape the kind of world we want to live in by what’s at the end of our fork!
Thursday, Sept. 17 Food
We often can feel overwhelmed by the myriad of food options, recommendations, and diets. And the grocery stores are filled with an ever increasing number of products. Here’s some recommendations from a North Carolina physician to help us navigate our decisions related to healthy eating for our bodies, planets, and communities: https://unitedchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sheas-10-principles.pdf
Friday, Sept. 18 Food
There are many economic, ecological, and health reasons that we should try to eat locally. Have we ever been on a farm, spoken to a farmer, met the animals we eat, picked our own fresh fruit? Where can we purchase local food from local farmers? Go to this great link for searchable lists of farmers, markets, restaurants, and u-pick spots to support our local food network: https://www.localharvest.org/raleigh-nc
Saturday, Sept. 19 - Creation Time Activity
Go outside with your family. Walk or look around and ‘read’ nature.
Linger and meditate on something that attracts your attention.
Ask what God is saying to you and listen to the answer. Share what you noticed with your family members.
Relax, contemplate and give thanks.
Pray the Our Father or Prayer for our Earth from Laudato Si.
Sunday, Sept. 20 - Sabbath Pope Francis writes in Laudato si’, “Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world...In this way, Christian spirituality incorporates the value of relaxation and festivity...Rest opens our eyes to the larger picture and gives us renewed sensitivity to the rights of others. And so the day of rest, centred on the Eucharist, sheds it light on the whole week, and motivates us to greater concern for nature and the poor.”
Read readings for this Sunday’s liturgy: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092020.cfm
Reflect on the theme: “Seek the Lord where he may be found, conduct your ways in the ways worthy of the Gospel of Christ, and look for workers in the Landowner’s Vineyard.”
Actions: Where do you find signs of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in your everyday life this week, as you observe nature? How might your Sabbath rest carry on in your everyday life? Try to spend some time every morning resting in the Lord’s goodness and asking God to open your eyes, heart, and mind to God’s presence in creation.
Monday, Sept. 21 Cherishing the Earth’s gifts
We know in an abstract way that the earth’s resources are limited, and if we are honest, we live as if these resources are unlimited. In this survey, we can see how many earths would be needed if everyone lived like me: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/
Tuesday, Sept. 22 Cherishing the Earth’s gifts
In Laudato si’, Pope Francis speaks about how important water is and how currently there are problems of availability and access. He says, “Water supplies used to be relatively constant, but now in many places demand exceeds the sustainable supply, with dramatic consequences in the short and long term.” In order to get a sense of how much water you are using, use this calculator: https://www.watercalculator.org/
Wednesday, Sept. 23 Cherishing the Earth’s gifts
Pope Francis writes in Laudato si’ “Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.” He continues, “Many of those who possess more resources and economic or political power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms, simply making efforts to reduce some of the negative impacts of climate change. However, many of these symptoms indicate that such effects will continue to worsen if we continue with current models of production and consumption. There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting for fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy.” These are compelling and challenging words. What is our contribution to the production of CO2 in the atmosphere and climate change? What is my footprint on the earth? To get a sense of my personal impact and contribution, use this calculator: https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/
Thursday, Sept. 24 Cherishing the Earth’s gifts
Too often, nature remains an abstract thing in our lives. Where have you sensed (through sight, hearing, taste, smell or touch) God’s gift in nature this week? Say a prayer of gratitude to God for the gift of God’s presence through the natural world and the earth’s resources.
Friday, Sept. 25 Cherishing the Earth’s gifts
Go outside and take a photo that speaks of a Gospel story, or a fragile but beautiful scene from nature. Share it with family.
Saturday, Sept. 26 - Creation Time Activity
Go outside with your family. Walk or look around and ‘read’ nature.
Linger and meditate on something that attracts your attention. Share what you notice with your family.
Ask what God is saying to you and listen to the answer.
Relax, contemplate and give thanks.
Pray the Our Father or Prayer for our Earth from Laudato Si.
Sunday, Sept. 27 - Sabbath Pope Francis writes in Laudato si’, “Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world...In this way, Christian spirituality incorporates the value of relaxation and festivity...Rest opens our eyes to the larger picture and gives us renewed sensitivity to the rights of others. And so the day of rest, centred on the Eucharist, sheds it light on the whole week, and motivates us to greater concern for nature and the poor.”
Read the scripture for this Sunday’s liturgies: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092720.cfm
Reflect on the themes of “mercy, compassion, looking out not for one’s own interests but also for those of others.”
Action: What work in the vineyard of God’s creation is calling you today? Resting in God’s love allows us to see the big-picture, see what’s truly important, go more slowly and patiently through our day. Make a decision this week that sacrifices your own interests but is committed to larger values for the good of others and Creation.
One of this week’s Season of Creation themes is the poem and prayer penned by St. Francis of Assisi called The Canticle of Brother Sun where St. Francis gives God thanks for all the creatures that God created. This week pray it daily:
https://ignatiansolidarity.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Canticle-of-Brother-Sun-and-Sister-Moon.pdf
Monday, Sept. 28 Biodiversity and Interdependence of all Creation
Pope Francis brings to our awareness the threat to biodiversity in our planet in Laudato si’, “Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species which we will never know, which our children will never see, because they have been lost forever. The great majority become extinct for reasons related to human activity. Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us.”
Research a plant or animal species that has already gone extinct (lost forever). Why did God want this plant or animal to exist? What factors contributed to its extinction?
Imagine this plant or animal as an ancestor who has passed away. What wisdom does this plant/animal want to speak to us?
Pray the Canticle of Brother Sun (linked above).
Tuesday, Sept. 29 Biodiversity and Interdependence of all Creation
Bees, like other insects, are part of the food chain. Bees are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. They carry a powder called pollen from one flower to another. The pollen fertilizes the flowers, which allows them to make seeds and finally, fruit. Many of our foods would not be available if it weren’t for bees. Bees are the major type of pollinator in ecosystems that contain flowering plants. Researchers say that one third of our food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by bees.
In North Carolina, there are about 500 species of bees (wow!), 175 species of butterflies, and an unknown number of other insect pollinators in North Carolina, plus one bird, the ruby-throated hummingbird. North Carolina has a $78 billion agriculture economy that relies on pollinators for crops such as squash, apples, blueberries and strawberries.These two documents provide ideas on how to help pollinators in our communities, including creating nests, planting native plants, and reducing pesticide use: http://www.ncagr.gov/pollinators/documents/Native-Pollinator-Section.pdf and https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms-pollinatorconservation/
Go outside, take a walk, and see if you can find one of NC’s pollinators. Thank them for their efforts, and pray the Canticle of Brother Sun prayer (linked above).
Wednesday, Sept. 30 Biodiversity and Interdependence of all Creation
Population growth and development have contributed to the loss of green spaces everywhere as more houses and businesses are constructed every day. Highways, new plantations, the fencing-off of certain areas, the damming of water sources, and similar developments crowd out natural habitats and, at times, break them up in such a way that animal populations can no longer migrate or roam freely. Periodically, these developments push people off their lands, create new barriers to resources, and have unintended implications for human health, economic security, and community interdependence. This raises questions about the development that is happening in Wake County and other Triangle region counties.
Do some research today on the history of the land and neighborhood where you live. What were the natural features of the land before development? What are the native trees and plants for your area? What is the social history of where you live? Go to https://native-land.ca/ and learn about the original inhabitants of where you live. What was their culture like and what happened to them? Why did your neighborhood get
developed in the way it did? How did your neighborhood honor its original and native inhabitants? Is there adequate green space in your neighborhood?
Pray for the sacrifices of those before us who have allowed us to live so well today, and pray that we might learn how to do development in a way that honors the biodiversity of ecosystems and the dignity of all people. Finish this prayer with the Canticle of Brother Sun prayer (linked above).
Thursday, Oct. 1 Biodiversity and Interdependence of all Creation
We all live in a watershed, a biologically dynamic pathway of how water moves across, through, and within the land where we live as it moves to the ocean. Assuring our watershed is free of pollutants is vital to preserving our ecosystems, protecting wildlife, keeping our drinking and recreation waters clean, and avoiding further degradation of our streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Watch this short film called All the Way to the Ocean : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZW2ByM623g&feature=emb_logo
Reflect on how littering and the use of chemicals on our lawns and farms affect the health of our watersheds.
Check out the work of Sound Rivers: https://soundrivers.org/ and https://www.nccoast.org/, and say a prayer for their efforts to preserve and protect our NC watersheds. Finish prayer with the Canticle of Brother Sun prayer (linked above).
Friday, Oct. 2 Biodiversity and Interdependence of all Creation
Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato si’, “Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth.”
During this pandemic, we have been made aware of how connected we all are, as a virus on one side of the world traveled through the entire world and tragically took lives and affected our daily lives, economies, and future. How has this pandemic affected your awareness of our interdependence? In what ways has this pandemic slowed you down and created a pause in your life so that greater awareness could come? What lifestyle changes might you want to keep after this pandemic?
Make a list of lifestyle changes that you want to keep or make in order to better reflect our values of creation care, universal solidarity, and worship of God’s gifts. Pray the Canticle of Brother Sun prayer (linked above) and give gratitude for this moment to remember who we are and whose we are.
Saturday, Oct. 3
Creation Time Activity
Go outside with your family. Walk or look around and ‘read’ nature.
Linger and meditate on something that attracts your attention.
Ask what God is saying to you and listen to the answer.
Relax, contemplate and give thanks. Share what you noticed with your family.
Pray the Our Father or Prayer for our Earth from Laudato Si. Or use this video for prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSDFiqs1Fpk
October 4, Feast of Francis - Sabbath Pope Francis writes in Laudato si’, “Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world...In this way, Christian spirituality incorporates the value of relaxation and festivity...Rest opens our eyes to the larger picture and gives us renewed sensitivity to the rights of others. And so the day of rest, centred on the Eucharist, sheds it light on the whole week, and motivates us to greater concern for nature and the poor.”
Read the readings for this Sunday’s liturgy: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100320.cfm
Reflect on the theme of our God as the Blessed one and the Lord of Heaven and Earth.
Actions: Watch this video and contemplate its images and themes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPSZkmr_Js
How might you begin to live differently for the benefit of God’s people and God’s Earth? How might this Season of Creation with its deepening, resting, restoring, and healing bring new life for me and my family?
Thank you for joining us in celebrating one another and creation!
What are some ways that you/your family can continue to cherish others and to show care to the Earth through this entire year?
