|
INTENTION : |
For our relationship with all of creation.
Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy oflove and respect.
|
FOCUS
The prayer intention for September 2025, which invites us to experience our interdependence with all creatures, is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition of respect and care for Creation. This intention, celebrating the 800th anniversary of St Francis' Canticle of the Creatures, provides a rich foundation for reflecting on our relationship with the environment and all forms of life.
The intention highlights the interconnectedness of all life, a central theme in Laudato Si'. It reminds us that everything in the world is connected and that human well-being cannot be separated from the well-being of the planet and its other inhabitants. This concept of interdependence calls us to reflect on how our actions affect the natural world and to seek ways of living that promote harmony and balance: "Everything is connected, and we humans are joined as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of His creatures and which also unites us in fond affection."
St Francis is known for his love and respect for all creatures, seeing them as brothers and sisters under one Creator. His Canticle of the Creatures is a hymn of praise to God for the beauty and diversity of creation. Being inspired by St Francis means adopting an attitude of humility and gratitude toward nature, recognizing the intrinsic value of every living being.
The intention calls us to recognize that all creatures are loved by God and worthy of our love and respect. This implies an active commitment to protect biodiversity, promote animal welfare, and avoid practices that cause harm or unnecessary suffering to other living beings. The current ecological crisis is also a spiritual and moral crisis that requires a conversion of the heart. Francis' intention invites us to reconcile with creation, acknowledging our past mistakes and committing to living more sustainably. This reconciliation involves both practical actions to care for the planet and a spiritual renewal that draws us closer to God through respect for His work.
Both Laudato Si' and Laudate Deum emphasize the need for collective action to address environmental challenges. The prayer intention is a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting creation. This includes supporting responsible environmental policies, adopting more sustainable lifestyles, and working together as a global community to achieve meaningful change.
ATTITUDES FOR DAILY LIFE
1. Opening to Creation
"An increasing number of people, including many young people and adolescents, recognize that the care of creation is an essential expression of their faith in God and their obedience to His Will" (Pope Francis).
Do you express your faith and love for God in concrete gestures of respect and loving care towards your neighbor and all of creation? This Jubilee year of hope offers you the opportunity to renew your desire to live differently.
2. Recognizing life in all its forms
"To contemplate the Creator, Who lives among us and in what surrounds us, Whose presence 'must not be contrived but found, uncovered.' We are speaking of an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with serene attentiveness" (Pope Francis).
Always set aside some time in your day to recognize life in all its forms, and God present in everything and everyone. Cultivating a serene attentiveness of the heart will help you bring out the best in yourself in your encounters and in what you experience.
3. Cultivating love and respect
"Let us not lose the opportunity to say a kind word, to smile, or to perform any small gesture that plants peace and friendship. An integral ecology is also made up of simple daily gestures where we break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness" (Pope Francis).
What simple gestures do you want to make to add a touch of love and respect to everything the Father created? With these, you can break some of the prevailing logic of selfishness.
4. Perceiving our interconnectedness
"Everything is connected, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of His creatures" (Pope Francis).
Are you aware of being connected to everyone and everything? What you do, think, and decide has a universal impact. Ask the Lord to always guide you towards Him, so you can sow love in all your actions and thus help your brothers and the entire creation.
5. Learning to see God in all things
"When we come to see the reflection of God in all that exists, our hearts are moved to praise the Lord for all His creatures and to worship Him in union with them" (Pope Francis).
Pausing several times in your busy day will help you deepen this awareness of God's presence in you, in your brothers, in creation, and in every situation you experience. You will see how a contagious joyfloods you.
MONTHLY PRAYER
Lord, Who loves all beings
and hates nothing You have made (Wisdom 11:24).
Every creature, Father, is an object of Your tenderness,
and You give each one a place in the world.
I am amazed to see that
the fleeting life of the smallest being
is the object of Your love,
and even in those few seconds of existence
You surround it with all Your care.
"Praised be You, my Lord," as Saint Francis said,
and I say to You today, "Praised be You:
'Through the greatness and beauty of creatures,
we know the author by analogy' (Wisdom 13:5)."
That's why, Lord, I deeply believe
that the world is more than a problem to solve;
it is a joyful mystery we contemplate with joyful praise.
Give us the grace to recognize ourselves as beloved beings,
each of us cherished by You,
conceived in Your heart, a fruit of Your thought.
"Praised be You, Lord," Who reveals Yourself
when the sun shines and when the night falls,
You are present in the diversity of all creation.
When we become aware of Your reflection
in everything that exists,
my heart feels the desire to worship You,
for all Your creatures...
Praised be You, Lord!
Amen.
|
|
