Transmitting the gift of wisdom

© AEFJN

The celebration of Creation Time, which originated in the Orthodox tradition, was taken up by the
World Council of Churches and recommended to the Catholic Church by Pope Francis. In the third
week, we reflect on creation as a sign of God’s infinite wisdom. We are invited to recognize this
wisdom, to internalize it and transmit it to others.

LITURGICAL PRAYERS – THANKSGIVING FOR GOD’S GIFTS
Lord God, praise be to you, You are the breath of life, which creates us and carries us every day;
You, our companion and master of wisdom, are with us whether we are on the way or resting;
You, Lord, are our hope and our strength;
Your grace works in all things and places;
The horizon and depth of your secrets are beyond our comprehension;
Your presence quenches our hunger for the bread of life and our thirst for living water.
Your creation gives us new strength and fills our hearts with joy and thanksgiving.
Praise be to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God now and every new day.
AMEN

BIBLICAL TEXTS AND REFLECTIONS
Disregarding the warning of wisdom leads to misfortune (Prov 1:20-33)
Out in the open, wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in
the public square. How long will you who are simple love
your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge? But since you refuse to listen
when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my
hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my
rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will
mock when calamity overtakes you, when calamity overtakes
you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a
whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.… For
the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the
complacency of fools will destroy them.
For the first time, God’s wisdom is described as a woman. She
encourages everyone to lead a good life. And she warns of the
consequences of unreasonable conduct. When the misfortune
falls, it is too late. We have long known about warnings based
on the consequences of climate change. And yet we continue
to live and act as always. He who lives stupidly will reap
dismay.

Wisdom from above is peaceful, gentle and conciliatory (James 3:13-18)
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the
humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do
not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly,
unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every
evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in
peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
In the past, people full of ideals wanted to make a just and peaceful world and finally reached the
opposite: wars, destruction, immense suffering. They wanted to realize their good intentions
with evil means, with strength and cruelty, with cunning and lies. Their hearts were filled with
“earthly, worldly, diabolical wisdom”, thirst for power and thoughts of competition. Only
“wisdom from above” can achieve lasting good. This wisdom that God gives, Holy, Peaceful,
Truthful, like God himself. Those who commit themselves to the Kingdom of God, for a just and
peaceful world, must cultivate wisdom from above and “contaminate” others with their words
and example.

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: Webmaster with the help of DeepL