Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
– Season of Creation Sunday 2 – September 14th – John 3:13-17
By Anne Marie Duffy – Down & Connor Laudato Si’ Group & Ephphatha Laudato Si’
Committing to the ideals of Season of Creation
Making a commitment
Making a commitment is never an easy decision – we often agonise over it; lose sleep over it and revisit it many times – often questioning our original rational. Just think about the commitment of taking on a mortgage; the commitment exchanged in marriage vows; the commitment to look after a child or parent with medical needs; the commitment to undertake a programme of study.
Often we have only a slight idea of what the commitment entails. It is only when we start to adjust to the ‘new reality’ – to the new demands placed upon us for example – meeting monthly mortgage payments; learning the art of compromise; prioritising the needs of another; long hours of study – that we truly understand the work required.
Commitment means recognising and accommodating new demands as they arise; it means continued effort often when the outcome or return appears minimal; it means discipline and requires effort and resilience.
Season of Creation ‘Peace with Creation’ and threats posed
The Season of Creation – a dedicated period of time stretching from the first of September through to the fourth of October – calls upon us as a faith community to reflect on our commitment to the earth and to the peoples with whom we share this earth. Each year the Christian family unites for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home. This year the theme for the season is ‘Peace with Creation’. How are we adjusting our behaviours to the challenges posed by the threats to our common home. Threats as identified in the encyclical Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home – written by the late Pope Francis (2015) and still as relevant today 10 years on – pollution and climate change; issues around quality and access to safe drinkable water; loss of biodiversity; decline in the quality of human life including the breakdown of society and global inequality (LS, 20 – 52). All these threats pose a challenge to peace.
Relevance of Liturgy to Commitment
The readings/liturgy today provide/s some guidance and direction on how we as people of faith should exercise our commitments. The psalm reminds us that we must not forget God in whom we trust – He will give us the grace to continue even though at times we may falter. We are reminded of teaching future generations of God’s grace so that they might learn from the past, remaining faithful and working towards ‘Peace with Creation’.
Both the psalm and response encourages us to share the story of Jesus and his love with our children so that they too may have hope in this ever changing world – “Do not forget the works of the Lord”.
Philippians 2 calls us to look beyond our own interest to the interests of others – “Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of vain glory”.
The gospel of John contains in one sentence the following hope; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only – begotten Son, that those who believe in Him may not perish, but may have life everlasting” (John 3:16). In believing in God we must commit to the teachings around love of neighbour – both local and global – those with whom we share this planet ‘Our Common Home’ ensuring an appreciation & understanding of what ‘Peace with Creation’ might look like.
Committing to change
In his encyclical the late Pope Francis highlighted the great need for a sense of social responsibility on the part of consumers referring to the fact that ‘Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic act’ (LS, 206). We are called to examine our lifestyle in light of the challenges of environmental degradation and the effect that this is having upon the lives of peoples in the Global South. ‘If we can overcome individualism, we will truly be able to develop a different lifestyle and bring about significant changes in society’ (LS 208). The question remains – am I as a member of this faith community willing to commit to changing my lifestyle so that others and the earth may benefit?
We need to change the way we think and the way we act. John urges us to align our faith and action with the Gospel teachings, calling for transformation.
……..‘O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, That we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction’………
(excerpt taken from ‘A prayer for our earth’ (Laudato Si’ 246).
By Anne Marie Duffy – Down & Connor Laudato Si’ Group & Ephphatha Laudato Si’
