Dear sisters and Family of Incarnation.

October 4th marks the end of the Season of Creation, which from September 1st to October 4th has united the ecumenical family in praise of God who takes care of us by giving us the Creation and entrusts it to us for our care.

Saint Francis of Assisi understood this when he referred to the Earth as our sister and our mother in his Canticle of Creatures. How can Mother Earth look after us if we do not look after her ? Creation is groaning because of our selfishness and the unsustainable actions that harm her.

And yet, there is hope and the expectation for a better future. To hope in biblical context does not mean to stand still and quiet, but rather groaning, crying, and actively striving for new life amidst the struggles.

Creation and all of us are called to worship the Creator, working together for a future of active hope and action.

We act for a better future because we know Christ has overcome the death caused by our sins. There is a lot of pain on Earth because of our shortcomings. Our structural and ecological sins inflict pain on Earth and all creatures, including ourselves.

From our charism, we believe that the incarnation of God’s Son offers guidance enabling us to face the troubling world. God is with us in efforts to respond to the challenges of the world we are living in (cf. Rom 8:23).

We propose to all the communities of the Congregation to include in the community prayer on October 4th the following prayer for Creation. In doing so, we will unite among ourselves and also with the whole ecumenical family of the Season of Creation, which will have an online celebration on that day, animated by the youth.

With affection

International Commission of Ecololy UdJ October 1st 2024