WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION

In 2015, Pope Francis announced that the Roman Catholic Church would join with the Orthodox Churches in recognizing September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Since that time, there has been broad ecumenical observance of the day. It initiates the “Season of Creation,” which extends until the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4. This year the theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow.” There are many wonderful resources online to encourage us to reflect on and pray for the needs of our common home. For me, the created world teaches me who God is and so I must care for it as I care for a most precious treasure. This is most especially the case now that we are experiencing a climate crisis that is largely due to us failing to care for the planet as we ought to have done. In honour of this day, I offer the following prayer.

The Prayer of a Grateful Gardener

Ora et Labora. Prayer and work. For me, there is nothing that so completely brings these two together than gardening. Some people garden with headphones in their ears – an audiobook or music occupying their mind as they work their fingers through dirt and admire blooming petals.  Not me. I like the way in which gardening forces me to be alone with my thoughts – thoughts that, very often, turn to prayers.

As I pull out the weeds, I cannot help but see symbols of all those things in my life that overtake that which I know to be really important. Scheduled tasks and to-do lists are everywhere; if I turn my back for a day, they seem to multiply exponentially. Just like weeds. One has to be ruthless with weeds. They must be dealt with quickly, without too much fastidiousness. Care and concern must be preserved for other things.

And so, I pray …

Gardener of Eden, give me the wisdom to weed out that which does not bring beauty and joy, give me the courage to efficiently and effectively rid myself of these obstacles, so that I can lavish my time on that which matters … on those who matter.

Harder to deal with are the invasive flowers. Beautiful though they are, they act like they own the place. They take over. I know people like that. Maybe I am people like that. I am torn between rejoicing in their beauty (and admiring their tenacity) and knowing that boundaries are important. Without boundaries, the weaker ones cannot survive. But I know that the garden cannot belong only to the bullies. Someone has to reign them in for the greater good.

And so, I pray …

Gardener of Paradise, give me strength to reign in power so that the powerless can have their time in the sunshine, too. Let me not be so captivated by the beauty and charisma of the bully that I am blind to the harm they cause. Guide me to use my limited power to assist the weak and vulnerable because, without allies, their very survival is in jeopardy.

Gardening requires an ability to attend to a wide variety of needs. Roses are needy (at least in my garden). They require fertilizer, a lot of water, a specific amount of sunshine and pruning … and I have to wear my gardening gloves. I’ve given up on rhododendrons. They do well for a season and then die. I’m tired of having my hopes dashed. Forget-me-nots and violets, on the other hand, pretty much take care of themselves without becoming garden bullies. People are like this. Some have countless requirements for personal well-being. We might refer to them as “high-maintenance.” Others find a way to be happy wherever they are. They bloom where they are planted. A beautiful garden has a little of each and lots in between. A good gardener makes room for them all and does her or his best to attend to the needs of each.

And so, I pray …

Creator of the Universe, give me patience with the difficult people in my life – the ones that demand so much of my time and attention, the ones that require me to actualize that command of Jesus to forgive forty times forty times. And help me be grateful for those in my life who bring beauty to me without asking for anything in return – the friends with whom I am instantly at ease and who make my heart smile.

Gardening has taught me the importance of diversity. Biodiversity is critical for our environment. It might also be critical for our spirit as well. Each flower, each plant, each tree brings me beauty in its own unique way. The quiet variegated leaves of the hosta and the lamium are as beautiful as the showy irises and delphinium or the abundant floral display of the clematis. And each plant teaches me something. The sunflower reminds me to gaze toward the light. The poppy teaches me to bring everything I have to the world even if it is only for a brief flicker of time. The apple blossoms teach me that I must die if there is to be fruit; the nettle, that good medicine often necessitates one suffering some prickles. The sheep manure I use as fertilizer prompts me to be grateful for what might appear to be “poop,” for growth is impossible without it.

And so, I pray…

God of Bounty, I give thanks for the many ways in which you speak to me in the garden which you have given me to tend. Open my eyes to see you in your creation. Open my ears to hear the Word you speak to me through each one of your creations. Open my heart to allow you to reveal yourself to me as I stand among these weeds and wonders … and work… and pray.

Christine Way Skinner is a doctoral student at Regis St. Michael’s at the Toronto School of Theology and has been a lay pastoral minister for more than 30 years. Together with her husband, Michael, she has parented 6 wonderful children. She has written a number of books for Novalis on living the Catholic faith for both adults and children.