​Falling in Love with Creation
Gary Gardner
 
Gary Gardner is a writer on issues of faith and sustainability. His latest book is The Earth Cries Out: How Faith Communities Meet the Challenges of Sustainability. He is a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Arlington, VA.
 
The great Harvard biologist Stephen Jay Gould once wrote that to save our endangered environment, we must forge an emotional bond between ourselves and nature, for “we will not fight to save what we do not love.” We will not fight to save what we do not love.

Much of the vast damage inflicted on our planet has occurred, arguably, because we have fallen out of love with nature. Industrial development of the past two centuries, for all its benefits, has taught us to view the natural world as a warehouse of resources. Forests are so many board-feet of lumber, for example. Expanses of meadowland are potential shopping malls, and rivers are pipelines to farms and thirsty cities. This utilitarian stance does not generate the emotional bond that Stephen Jay Gould advocated, the attitude of reverence that teaches us to live in harmony with our planet.

So how can we learn to love nature if this was not part of our early formation? Perhaps surprisingly, our Judeo-Christian tradition can help. Laudato Si' and its environmental ethos, far from being a new Christian concern, is as old as our faith itself; it sees nature as a sacred expression of God’s love.  

We hear that expression in our Scriptures as far back as Genesis, where the very setting for God’s creation is a garden of overflowing abundance. We hear it in Psalm 65 and in the Canticle of Daniel, which calls out the waters, the sun and moon, and the stars of heaven to bless the Lord. In our Scriptures, nature is a sacred gift and a bridge to God. 
 
Beyond Scripture, the Franciscan family offers rich resources that can deepen in us a love of God’s Creation. Consider St. Francis himself, who uses poetry to articulate the beauty of Creation, speaking intimately of “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon,” for example. For Francis the elements of nature are family, so deep is his love for them. Can we imagine approaching nature with the same reverence?
 
Or consider the teachings of another Franciscan, St. Bonaventure, who builds on Francis’ poetry with theological insights that can deepen our love of Creation. Bonaventure begins with the Trinity, describing the Father, Son, and Spirit as a God of communication and relationship whose idiom is love. But their dialogue of love is not a conversation confined to themselves. No, they share their love generously, speaking out to the universe. In this way, the universe—Creation — can be understood as the speech of God, an outward expression of God’s love.

Take that in. Creation is the speech of God. Chirping songbirds, gurgling streams, wind whistling through trees—God speaks to us! Even the quiet miracles of emerging leaves and germinating seeds speak to us deeply, if we pause and invite them in.

Bonaventure is not finished. If Creation is the speech of God, doesn’t nature become another way of understanding the Word of God? Bonaventure thought so. The Franciscan-authored book Care for Creation explains that for Bonaventure, the natural world is a companion to Scripture in expressing the Word of God. Indeed, every creature can be thought of as a “little Word” of God. Think about that on your next outing: squirrels, finches, wind, water — each a little Word of God.

In short, loving nature becomes organic once we see nature as God’s communication to us. We receive God’s generous outpouring to us, and we respond in kind, through our love of the natural world.

Indeed, if we understand nature as God’s self-communication to us, we might adopt new practices that reinforce our love of nature. Daily walks become not just exercise, but a chance to exult in the natural world, where every moment is an entrypoint and invitation to experience God. 
 
Our consumption habits might change: appreciating nature as gift, consumption becomes not merely the pursuit of pleasure, but a mindful appreciation of the gifts God has given us. We might extend our habit of grace before meals to broader patterns of consumption, similar to the practice of the Tlingit people of Alaska: before harvesting forest resources, they give thanks for them and promise to use only as much as they need. Imagine such resource consciousness in our daily life—expressing gratitude and promising sobriety every time we flip a light switch or reach for the car keys. Wouldn’t this engender in us a greater reverence for Creation?
 
Whether our effort to love and protect the Earth is expressed as a greened prayer life, a mindfulness of lifestyle, or greater commitment to Earth advocacy, energy for the work can be found in a warm and consoling truth: that God loves us through Creation itself, in a never-ending generosity that sustains us each moment. How could our response be anything but love in return?

​“His divine presence, which ensures the subsistence and growth of each being, ‘continues the work of creation’”. Pope Francis Laudato Si’ #80

As we begin the second week of this year’s Season of Creation, consider practicing an Earth Examen.
 
An examen is a way of being in prayerful wonder of something you behold. In celebration of the Season of Creation, look for a quiet time to spend in nature, paying attention to the life cycles of plants, animals, or any facet of our earth. An Earth Examen is one of the resources offered through the worldwide Season of Creation.org site; a guide to this practice can be found by searching Season of Creation Earth Examen.
 
Would spending time in nature make a difference to our lives? Would stopping to pay attention to the complexity that surrounds us every day in the wildlife and landscapes that we live among increase a sense of respect for the environment? Would focusing on the season right now encourage us to appreciate this particular moment of creation and recognize the bounty of this month’s harvest and the impact of eating local seasonal foods? Would our health and well being be influenced?  What about the effect on local small farms?  
 
What are other ways that can help us slow down and take some deliberate time to explore how God is revealed through Creation?  The Examen guide on the Season of Creation site offers a step-by-step practice that helps us re-discover our own sense of the sacredness of the world and thereby enliven our desire to respect and nurture it through our lives.
 
“The spirit of life dwells in every living creature and calls us to enter into relationship….Discovering this presence leads us to cultivate the ecological virtues.” 
Pope Francis Laudato Si’ #88

Just a reminder that on Wednesday, September 1, the Season of Creation begins and runs until the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4. Our Church and other Christian communities will use this time to offer many insights to the environmental issues of our day, all of which take on so much additional importance considering the report recently released by the scientific working group of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report had both sobering and hopeful news. Surely, one cannot review this report and have any doubt about global warming. The news this summer has been full of reporting on extreme weather, like heavy rainfall that has caused flooding in Europe, China and southeastern US this summer, and record high temperatures — which already are causing droughts — as well as dramatic wildfires in parts of Europe and the western U.S. and Canada.
 
Here is something we can do during the upcoming month to increase awareness and find practical ideas. Earthbeat, the National Catholic Reporter newsletter on the environment, is featuring a month-long series focusing on a different element (earth, water, air and fire).  Each day of the week will have a theme: Mondays will focus on centering ourselves in gratitude. Wednesdays will explore grief though guest writers who share their personal experiences of how their homes are being impacted by climate change or poor stewardship. And Fridays will center around going forth and our response to these realities.

EarthBeat Weekly: We've turned the heat up in cities, so how can we cool them down?

​www.ncronline.org

Join the Saint Luke Parish Community in celebrating the 2021 Season of Creation from September 1 through October 4. This year’s theme is: 
A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God.
Oikos is the Greek word for “home” or “household”, and by rooting this year’s theme to the concept of oikos, we celebrate the integral web of relationships that sustain the well-being of the earth. The symbol for the year is Abraham’s Tent, which represents our commitment to safeguard a place for all who share our common home, as Abraham did in the book of Genesis.

Saint Luke Parish is recognizing the Season of Creation through activities that celebrate our common home and honor the integral relationships among all of God’s created ones, focusing on safeguarding and sharing God’s wondrous gifts.

​Please join us for these events:
September 11 & 12 – The parish Ministry Fair after each Mass will feature Season of Creation prayer cards,  information, and special handouts for kids, along with opportunities to join the Care for Creation Committee in its ongoing work.  Look for us at Abraham’s Tent!
            Contact:  [email protected]
 
September 25 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – You are invited to join a Saint Luke Campus Clean-Up event.  As a group, our community will show respect for the earth that is home to our Church and School community. (Rain date, September 27)
            Contact:  [email protected]
 
October 3 – 1 p.m. Blessing of the Animals – A chance to remind ourselves of God’s abundant love for all creatures, great and small. Held in the Church parking lot.
 
October 3 – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. – At the Parish Picnic – Learn about composting and recycling and how you can make an individual impact. On the school grounds.
 
October 4 – 7 p.m. – Evening Prayer Service -- Celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi through prayer and music. In the Main Church.
 
https://seasonofcreation.org/
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We are all invited to participate in the 2021 Season of Creation through prayer, sustainability projects or advocacy.  The Season begins September 1, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and continues through October 4th, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

This year’s theme, “A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God” calls us to celebrate the integral web of relationships that sustain the well-being of the Earth.  Honoring this theme, let us acknowledge the deep connections among all of God’s creatures. Let us join our hearts and minds together and give thanks to our loving God for all creation and the Creator’s gifts.
​
https://seasonofcreation.org/

Ever wonder what you can do to make a difference in the climate crisis and in ecological equality? Pope Francis calls us to action in Laudato Si’ (“LS”). He concluded LS with A Christian Prayer in Union with Creation (5th stanza), “God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of love for all the creatures of earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live.” Pope Francis has asked us to form seven year plans and commit to those plans this fall in October. 
Here at Saint Luke Parish, we have begun an effort to figure out our community goals and the best projects to pursue over the next seven years. Climate change correction takes large as well as small steps to help our planet and its people better enjoy God’s gifts. In terms of figuring out what steps to take, John Jimison is chairing the Care for Creation committee, please see the parish web site under Organizations (Care for Creation), and join us as we talk monthly about activities that we can all pursue as part of Saint Luke’s plans.  We are working to establish our goals by the end of September to meet Pope Francis’ call to action.  Your input and participation are always welcome
Just as we are trying to make the right choices at Saint Luke’s, we each make small and large daily purchasing decisions. When aggregated together, the choices that we make can carry a lot of weight. Carbon product labeling, started in 2007, has emerged as an area that could be important in consumer purchasing decisions.  The Carbon Trust, initially a UK government entity formed to help encourage reduction in greenhouse gases, offers CO2 and carbon footprint labeling for products and companies. With offices in China, Mexico, Africa, the US and other locations, the Carbon Trust claims to be the world’s largest independent certification body for carbon footprints.  You may have noticed their various logos on products.  They use international standards developed in coordination with the UN such as PAS 2060 to certify the carbon intensity of company activities as well as company products.  In this manner, consumers can look for these labels and choose products and companies that are the most environmentally responsible.  
Two thirds of 10,000 European consumers surveyed in 2020, at the request of the Carbon Trust, indicated that they are more likely to think positively about a brand that could demonstrate that it had a lower carbon footprint for its projects.  As these standards become more widely used, the effect of all of our choices can have a broader impact on climate change.
Please look for these carbon footprint labels, ask about company greenhouse gas policies in products that you purchase and firms that you invest in, and join us on the Care for Creation committee to explore ways we can make a difference at home and for the world.

“…we must recognize our grave duty to hand the earth on to future generations…” ~ Pope Benedict XVI

Many reports about industries and communities who are achieving progress toward zero-waste and zero-landfill goals can be found in the media and online. But what can I do in my daily life to decrease my own contribution to the landfill and to support a zero-waste goal? 
As I strive to avoid single-use plastic and the seemingly ubiquitous excessive packaging that surrounds us, I am excited to learn that a new zero-waste store, Trace, is opening in Vienna this September. www.tracezerowaste.com  This is a reminder for me to be conscious of my choices and to seek out ways to be a better steward of the gifts of the earth.  
Businesses that identify as zero-waste typically offer products with little to no packaging, inviting the shopper to bring their own bags and containers.  Offerings often include dry goods as well as liquid items and range from foodstuffs to homewares to cleaning products and personal care items.  Mason & Greens, in Old Town Alexandria, is an example of a zero-waste store. 
In addition to dedicated zero-waste stores, packaging can be avoided at local farmers markets and at the bulk items sections of MOM’s Organic Market, Good Earth Natural Foods and Whole Foods, to name a few.
Zero-waste is an approach that works toward re-thinking how all resources are treated through the entire use-cycle, beginning with resource identification through production, consumption, reuse and recovery of all products, packaging and materials, finding ways to reuse or recover resources without burning them and without dumping them in landfills, the water, or the air.
Every step each of one of us takes to heighten awareness and to make decisions in favor of reducing consumption and avoiding waste makes a difference and helps us tread more lightly upon our precious Earth.
Links for Zero Waste tips: 
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branch-out/trash-trimming-tips-for-zero-waste-living
http://www.cleanfairfax.org/2018/03/22/join-the-zero-waste-movement/      https://sustainablefairfax.org/initiatives/zero-waste/
 
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Creator of All,
We are grateful that from your communion of love you created our planet to be a home for all. By your Holy Wisdom you made the Earth to bring forth a diversity of living beings that filled the soil, water and air. Each part of creation praises you in their being, and cares for one another from our place in the web of life.
With the Psalmist, we sing your praise that in your house “even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young.” We remember that you call human beings to keep your garden in ways that honor the dignity of each creature and conserve their place in the abundance of life on Earth.
But we know that our will to power pushes the planet beyond her limits. Our consumption is out of harmony and rhythm with Earth’s capacity to heal herself. Habitats are left barren or lost. Species are lost and systems fail. Where reefs and burrows, mountaintops and ocean deeps once teemed with life and relationships, wet and dry deserts lie empty, as if uncreated. Human families are displaced by insecurity and conflict, migrating in search of peace. Animals flee fires, deforestation and famine, wandering in search of a new place to find a home to lay their young and live. 
In this Season of Creation, we pray that the breath of your creative Word would move our hearts, as in the waters of our birth and baptism. Give us faith to follow Christ to our just place in the beloved community. Enlighten us with the grace to respond to your covenant and call to care for our common home. In our tilling and keeping, gladden our hearts to know that we participate with your Holy Spirit to renew the face of your Earth, and safeguard a home for all.
In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news to all creation, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

​September 1 – October 4, 2021                 SeasonOfCreation.org

​Unnecessary vehicle idling wastes six billion gallons of fuel per year, and contributes to smog, air pollution and the buildup of CO2 , increasing global warming, according to the US Dept. of Energy. For every 10 minutes your engine is off, you'll prevent one pound of carbon dioxide from being released.
Hats off to our Saint Luke School for leading the way with signage for car pool lanes, which reads:
Engines Off!
 
The no-idling practice helps avoid a “hot spot” of exhaust pollution that is especially bad for children and elderly people, not to mention the environment.
 
PTAs may be opportunities to spread this practice among other local schools. The US EPA offers flyers and information with facts and suggestions for school and school bus focused idle-reduction campaigns. Typing Idle Free Schools toolkit into your browser will bring you to links for the EPA’s Turn the Key, Be Idle Free campaign.  
For personal vehicle drivers, the US Dept. of Energy website includes an Idle Reduction Tips sheet, some of the suggestions include:

• Except in traffic, turn the engine off if you’ll be static for more than 10 seconds, such as while running an errand, waiting for someone, or at a long stop like a railroad crossing. 
• With modern gasoline engines, idling is actually harder on your engine than shutting it off. 
• Look for opportunities to “turn the key” at fast food drive-throughs, the drive-up teller at banks, or drive-through pharmacies.  
• The many businesses that offer curbside pickup are another chance to just “turn the key” when you will be stopped for more than 10 seconds.
•  Engines off means no gas use, no engine wear, and no emissions.

Frequent “excessive idlers” include delivery and trades vehicles that fill our streets daily as they perform delivery rounds of our numerous online purchases, food deliveries and serve our home repair and maintenance needs.  In addition, numerous construction vehicles are often seen lined up and waiting at new building sites, engines running. Awareness may get us thinking about how to influence these “excessive idlers”.
Knowing the facts may give us the incentive to create new habits that are costless, painless and will benefit everyone.  We can each do something, we can start, we can talk about it and with small acts raise our awareness.

​Committing the Catholic Church in all its forms to a seven-year campaign to care for God’s Creation, Pope Francis fully recognizes the many facets of the challenge before us, and his support team in the Vatican has outlined the different ways we can take action to meet that challenge.  There is no doubt that each and all of us can contribute in response to one or more of the imperatives that the Pope has laid out. The Laudato Si’ Action Platform’s goals come directly from the Pope’s encyclical, urging us to:

• Respond to the Cry of the Earth, addressing the direct causes of the climate crisis by limiting greenhouse-gas emissions through less pollution and adoption of non-fossil energy alternatives, supporting biodiversity, healthy oceans, and preservation and restoration of natural environments.
• Respond to the Cry of the Poor, increasing our awareness of the dramatic global and local disparities in access to resources and economic well-being that threaten the health and lives of billions of our fellow humans, noting that the climate crisis is worst for those most vulnerable and least responsible for the human contributions to causing it.
• Embrace Ecological Economics, finding ways toward longer product lives, greater reuse and recycling of material resources, and working toward a circular economy, one freed from the myth that ever-expanding material production and consumption can be maintained from the fixed resources of our already heavily-exploited planet. 
• Adopt Sustainable Lifestyles, improving the energy efficiency of our buildings, vehicles, and practices, reducing food waste, guarding soil health, husbanding fresh water, and increasing our awareness of the environmental consequences of our individual and family choices.
• Spread Ecological Education, learning and teaching each other the truths of our relationship to God’s creation, the harm we can do to it, the good we can do in protecting and restoring it, and its immeasurable value to our lives.
• Adopt Ecological Spirituality, recognizing that every interaction with God’s creation is an interaction with God, with His plan for our lives, and with His love poured out for us in our tangible, vital daily reality, offering new chances for gratitude, prayer, and worship.
• Engage Together as a Community, discerning, planning, and acting to create the framework of policy, culture, and practices that will motivate each of us to participate to serve God and each other by preserving His wonderful, bountiful, beautiful creation.

 
The question is “What plans will we, the people of Saint Luke Catholic Church, conceive and carry out, addressing these goals, and doing our part to achieve the Laudato Si’ Action Platform over the next seven years?”