During the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which Pope Leo XIV solemnly celebrated this Tuesday at Castel Gandolfo, the Pontiff stated during Mass that all of creation speaks to us of the greatness of the Creator and of God’s love for us.
In the homily, he focused on the Book of Wisdom and Psalm 18, which urge us to contemplate the beauty and power of creation “so that we may recognize the Creator,” and to contemplate the heavens, which speak of God’s glory. And he said: “All of creation speaks to us of the greatness of the Creator, provided that our eyes and hearts are open to such a great mystery,”,
The Gospel passage from Saint Matthew also invites us to contemplate creation, emphasizing the Lord’s special love for human beings, the Pope noted.
“Gazing in wonder at the birds of the sky and the lilies of the field—precious in the eyes of the Creator—leads us to understand how great God’s love is for us. If the Lord never ceases to bestow splendid beauty and to provide for the needs of plants and animals, how much more attentive will He be to the needs of His beloved sons and daughters!”.
Enter “silent mode”
The setting was truly fitting for the celebration in the Gardens—with trees, plants, and water—and the celebrants« green chasubles, on a day marking the beginning of »Season of Creation,‘ observed by Christians of various denominations, whose theme this year is ’Living Water.”.
A period that ends on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, on the 800th anniversary of his death. The Pope has suggested that during these weeks we enter into a state of silence, away from noise, to learn to listen to the voice of Creation, through which God speaks to us.
Contemplation: a few minutes away from the daily hustle and bustle to listen to God
The Pope put it this way in his homily during Mass:
“This afternoon, as we accept the invitation to pause and reflect on God’s works, we begin “The Season of Creation,” a five-week period dedicated to prayer and a commitment to caring for our “common home.” Therefore, on this Day, and in the days ahead, let us take a few minutes to step away from the hustle and bustle of our daily activities to savor the great harmony of which we are a part. Let us put all the noise of human activities on “mute” to hear the melodious voice of creation, in which God, the author of all things, speaks to us.”.
This contemplative exercise, which fosters an encounter with the Lord, continues to be a first step toward an “authentic ecological conversion, in which the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us” (Message for the 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation).
From Destruction to Life
From contemplating creation and encountering the Creator comes an awareness of our special place in God’s wonderful plan and of our personal and collective responsibility to preserve the original harmony. “Thus, from the awareness of our faults and mistakes comes a renewed commitment to restore relationships among creatures according to the will of their Creator.”.
In this way, the Successor of Peter has emphasized that “the Season of Creation calls us to a profound conversion: ‘What has been used for destruction can be redirected toward life: toward caring for the poor, providing food for the hungry, and caring for creation.’”.
A post by the Pope on X
The close connection between the time of creation and conversion was thus the ‘leitmotif’ of the Day, which had been announced well in advance the Pope on the X network, on his Pontifex_es account:
“As I recalled in the Message for this Day, caring for our “common home” requires a conversion of the heart, so that what has been used to cause destruction may, instead, be directed toward life. I invite everyone to join together in prayer and action, so that we may become channels of the living water of God’s peace, which refreshes our wounded world.”.
St. Francis of Assisi: Universal Brotherhood
In his brief homily, the Pontiff once again recalled St. Francis of Assisi, who, he noted, served as a particular source of inspiration for “Pope Francis, in order to write your Letter Encyclical Laudato si’ and to bring this to life Borgo ”that welcomes us.".
León XIV has encouraged spiritual unity with St. Francis of Assisi, “making his Canticle of Praise our own”:
“Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Brother Sun […].
Praised be You, my Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars […].
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind […].
Praised be You, my Lord, for Sister Water […].
Praised be You, my Lord, for Brother Fire […].
Praise be to You, my Lord, for our sister, Mother Earth,
»which sustains and governs us.".
”Together with St. Francis, we wish to renew our commitment to live and promote that universal brotherhood which is inseparably linked to the duty to care for creation.”.
The Pope's Video Message in September: ‘Caring for Water’
Earlier today, the video message that Pope Leo XIV is releasing for the month of September was made public through the Global Prayer Network from the Pope. Here is the text:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord of Life,
You gave us the gift of water,
a source of fertility, freshness, and hope.
It quenches thirst, fertilizes the soil, and cleanses wounds.
We thank you because you, too,
She is a symbol of your grace and your love
who renews us through Baptism.
Today we ask you to teach us how to protect it
with gratitude, fairness, and responsibility.
We apologize for having turned her into a commodity,
forgetting that it is a universal gift,
A right without borders, intended for all your children.
It pains us to see so many of our brothers and sisters
who don't have clean water,
who walk kilometers to find her,
that cause illness due to their scarcity.
May Your Spirit transform us into pilgrims in search of what is essential,
able to live a sober life,
denouncing waste and pollution,
defending the rights of every brother and sister
Let's drink without fear, without inequality.
Make our water conservation efforts
may it be a sign of love for the Creator
and a commitment to the lives of the poorest,
by educating new generations who value
and protect the Earth's resources.
Amen.
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