Creation

Like mismatched socks on the clothesline they swung to and fro not seeming to notice the noise they created nor the deposits they left on the footpath below. They did what God made them to do. To be. To be birds. They chattered and chirped amongst themselves all the while intermittently filling the early morning with song, for those who cared to listen.

In Laudato Si’ Pope Francis reflects on the life of St Francis of Assisi and how for him, each and every creature was like a sister or a brother. We are a part of creation not separate from it. In Genesis 2:15, we are instructed to ‘till and keep’ the garden. Over time we’ve been pretty good at tilling but not so great at keeping.

This year’s Social Justice Statement, written by the Australian Catholic Bishops ‘Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor’ reflects on creation in and through the Trinity; the sacramentality of all created things; the wonder and beauty available to the contemplative eye; and the need for conversion and change of life. This statement coupled with Laudato Si’ challenges us to reflect on all of creation and the part we all play in keeping it.

Today is an opportunity for us to stop what we are doing, to step outside or to gaze outside the window and look, really look at the beauty that surrounds us - in plants, animals and in each other.

Let us celebrate creation, thanking God for this beautiful gift. Let us also listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor and let us ask God to guide our thoughts and actions as we move through the rest of our day. Let us be ready to follow that guidance.