Season of Creation Reflection #1

Harmony with God and Creation

In the Gospel this weekend, we will listen to a passage from Matthew, chapter 18, which describes how the early Christian community were expected to live in harmony. It reminds us that we have a responsibility to one another and a duty to care for those in our society who are the most vulnerable.

This is an appropriate passage as we reflect on the Season of Creation. The theme this year is “Let Justice and Peace Flow”, and the emphasis is on the social injustices of climate change. In his message this year, Pope Francis laments that the “heartbeat of creation and the heartbeat of God” no longer beat in harmony, because they are not “harmonized in justice and peace.”

Climate injustice is causing a series of detrimental social, economic and health impacts on some of the poorest, most vulnerable nations in our world. Pollution, exploitation and greed by the richest nations is leading to a climate catastrophe that the poorer nations have neither the economic or logistical capacity to deal with.

There is great disharmony between rich and poor. There is great disharmony between humanity and creation. We are not living in harmony with our world, nor with our sisters and brothers who suffer the most at the hands of the climate crisis.
Pope Francis calls the destruction of the planet an “ecological sin”. But during the Season of Creation, we are called to repent of our sin and make positive changes for the future of our world. We are presented with an opportunity to call others together and discern how we can protect God’s creation.

At the end of this weekend’s Gospel, we are told “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” This is a reminder to us that we share a common home, but we are also not alone. God is right there with us in the midst of his creation. And we have a duty to take care of his wondrous creation – a duty to ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and to the Creator who lives among us.

Let us pray, then, this weekend, that our eyes may be opened to our own ecological sin. By your grace, help us to make lifestyle choices that are selfless and sustainable, promote the care and safeguarding of our ecosystem. We pray that all in our world will be guaranteed access to the most basic of resources, and that this can be achieved through nations, political leaders, religious leaders, neighbours, brothers and sisters all working together in harmony for the greater good.
Amen.