Pass on the invitation to follow Jesus
The celebration of the time of creation, which has its origin in the Orthodox tradition, was taken up by
the World Council of Churches and recommended to the Catholic Church by Pope Francis. The texts of
the last week show that our commitment to preserving creation for future generations is part of our
vocation to pray, think, live and act like Jesus.
LITURGICAL PRAYER – CONSECRATION PRAYER
God, our creator,
we come before you with an open mind and a loving heart.
We thank you for the gift of creation and for all your goodness.
We are aware that we have failed to take care of creation and to protect it on your behalf.
Jesus, our master,
in this time of creation, we accept the invitation to live like your disciples:
we commit ourselves to follow your example and work with all our strength for a world of love, justice,
and peace.
Help us to contribute together to the well-being of all living beings and to pass on the gift of creation to
future generations in your name.
AMEN
BIBLICAL TEXTS AND REFLECTIONS
Without the strength from above, it will not work… (Js 5:13-18)
“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is
anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone
among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to
pray over them.” […] “The prayer offered in faith will
make the sick person well.” […] “The prayer of a
righteous person is powerful and effective.” […]
It all depends on God’s blessing, as an old proverb says.
We believe that science, technology and money can solve
all problems. Really? Can they heal us from the obsession
of power and strength, unlimited greed, hatred of the
stranger, the lure of lies and deception, the laziness of
habit? These spiritual illnesses are the deepest reasons
for the social and ecological crisis. We need another
medicine: a change of mind, a spirituality of solidarity, a
sense of responsibility before God for all mankind and for
all creation, a new heart and a new spirit that only God
can give.
… and only together with all men of good will (Mk 9:38-40.50)
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop,
because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my
name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.”
[…] “Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
The Spirit blows where it wills and often where we do not expect it. In the particular field of social
justice and of climate, the prophets and precursors were often courageous men outside the
Church. In the Church, we must learn to see God at work where people who do not belong to our
group engage in the spirit of the Gospel for justice and peace, and to build contacts with them.
Environmental destruction and climate change are problems that can only be solved globally. All
can and should make a small personal contribution at the local level, but the challenges can only
be overcome if States, but also religions, scientists and civil society, work together to find a
solution.
INFO
● Sheet prepared by Fr. Wolfgang Schonecke/ Netzwerk Afrika Deutschland: www.netzwerkafrika.de
● Source and other texts in English : www.ecocongregationscotland.org/materials/creation-time/
● Drawing : Sr. Johanna Senn CPS
● Translation into French : Fr. Alois Schmid
● Other interesting sites :
o https://seasonofcreation.org/fr/guide-fr/
o https://eglisesvertes.ca/
● Translation to English: Philippe Docq with the help of DeepL
● Readings – If you want to go further in your commitments to the “Common House”, here are some
interesting books (in French):
o « Avec Laudato Si’ devenir acteurs de l’Ecologie intégrale », sous la direction de Fabien
Revol, Peuple Libre, 2017.
o « Nouveaux modes de vie ? L’appel de Laudato Si’ », Conférence des Evêques de France,
Conseil Famille et Société, Bayard, 2017.
o « Le défi écologique : vers de nouveaux chemins », Revue éthique et de théologie morale,
CERF, 2018.
