Why we need a solemn Feast Day of Creation

A UK-based Laudato Si Animator puts the case for creating a solemn Feast Day of Creation.

Why do we need a solemn Feast Day of Creation? There are many compelling reasons but we can approach the question in three interrelated ways:

- It is integral to our Christian Catholic faith;

- This is the mother of pro-life issues. What has been implicit needs to be highlighted, prayed, integrated and lived (lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi);

- The Global Majority World is calling for it. Are we in the Global North really listening and responding appropriately?

It is integral to our Christian Catholic faith

'In the beginning was the Word' How do you feel when you read this? '...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us'! Does your heart open in wonder? It is awesome and I am struck dumb! St John of the Cross writes: 'The Father spoke one Word which was his Son, and this Word He always speaks in eternal silence, and in silence must it be heard.'

Throughout human history individuals have heard God's call to go to wild places, 'I am going to lure her and lead her out into the wilderness and speak to her heart' (Hosea 2:16). This is a privileged place where the Word can be heard. The Desert Fathers and Mothers went out into the desert to follow Jesus. In Britain and Ireland we have an abundance of saints who went to wild places. Legends teach of holy lives lived in peaceful connection with non-human creation. We have St Kevin and the blackbird, St Melangell and hares, St Cuthbert and otters, St Ciaran and Brother Boar, St Columba, the heron and the horse and many other tales of saints and animals.

Mythic truths are revealed in the Book of Genesis where God speaks all creation into being and where God's looking and seeing affirms creation is good. In some ways this creation story can be thought of as a link to our indigenous ancestors. The Hebrew people recognised the profound connections and relationships that link earth, non-human creation, human society and family connectedness and God. They also recognised rupture in relationships. Practical repentance, reconciliation and reparation are laid out in the Jubilee initiative of Leviticus 25. Jubilee is 'this year of favour'. It is not only one particular year in chronological time, it is embodied and fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Luke 4:17-21).

The restoration of relationships in Christ means all relationships in all interconnected creation. St Anselm joyfully proclaims: "Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night - everything that is subject to the power or use of man - rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace… The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb." (Sermon used as the second reading in the Divine Office for the Immaculate Conception). Another Doctor of the Church, St Hildegard of Bingen, wrote: "The Word is living, being, spirit, all verdant greening, all creativity, this Word manifests itself in every creature,' and, "The fire has its flame and praises God. The wind blows the flame and praises God. In the voice we hear the Word which praises God. So all of creation is a song of praise to God." St John of the Cross' poetry is full of God's love and mercy with "The Beloved", Christ, being united in his human nature with all creatures. One of the patrons of Europe, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, wrote: "Christ presents himself in the name of all creation, whose prototype he is… But he also calls upon the entire created world itself, united with him, to give the Creator the tribute of thanks that is his due." (Edith Stein, The Prayer of the Church' in 'The Hidden Life') She also writes, "we may… comprise in the Mystical Body the entire creation..." (Finite and Eternal Being).

St Pope John Paul II named St Francis as patron saint of ecology for very good reason but it is important to be aware that Trinitarian, Christo-centric, orthodox creation spirituality appears 'in our Christian Catholic DNA' and is expressed by many different saints and charisms.

The human response to God's goodness is to 'lift the heart to God'. It happens in different ways; in contemplative silence, in poetry, prose and music and in the choices we make and the things we do, as expressed for example, in Catholic Social Teaching. Humans can be described as bringing into human voice all Creation's Song of Praise. Prayer, especially liturgical prayer through and in Christ, can be thought of in this way. It also has to be remembered that liturgical prayer is not an 'add on', it is foundational to Catholic identity expressing our highest purpose.

This year is the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures by St Francis of Assisi, it is the 10th anniversary of the Laudato Si' encyclical and we are journeying together as pilgrims of hope in this Jubilee of 2025. It is a 'kairos' moment, an invitation to cooperate with the Holy Spirit now. Gathering together in worship is an honour and duty. A Solemnity to celebrate God's care and goodness and give voice to creation's praise would bring into focus, in today's world, what has always been our faith. The liturgy, the public prayer of the Church, is a prophetic witness to the truth she professes. We know that how we pray reflects what we believe and determines how we live (lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi) so we come to the next reason that we need a Solemn Feast Day of Creation.

The mother of pro-life issues

Human activity has produced human-induced planetary change which is increasing. This is a fact. Key markers of this include climate change, ocean acidification, ocean warming, rising sea levels, widespread plastic pollution, significant changes in the nitrogen cycle including air and water pollution, degradation of soils, mass extinction and biodiversity loss. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences, in 'A Planetary Call to Action for Climate Change Resilience' (2024), makes sober reading. It says: 'The data demonstrates that climate change poses a grave danger to every aspect of public health and safety, including mental health: global heating, high-intensity cyclones, monsoons, floods, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, forest fires, increased risks of zoonoses and food-water-and vector-borne diseases, and non-communicable diseases (dementia, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions), maternal and child health and mental health. Furthermore, climate change is undermining… livelihoods, equity, access to adequate food and nutritional security. Air pollution from fossil fuels alone leads to over five million premature deaths in children and adults every year.'

The Academy is also well placed to state that, 'human inaction in the face of rapid climate change is immoral.' 'The very stones cry out' that this situation is immoral (cf Luke 19:40) and this is found all the way through the Church's history to relatively recent articulations of it, such as in the Catechism where people must, 'respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment' (CCC 339) and St Pope John Paul II who said, 'we must therefore encourage and support the ecological conversion which in recent decades has made humanity more sensitive to the catastrophe to which it has been heading'.

Twenty-Four years on from St John Paul II's teaching and 10 years on from the Laudato Si' encyclical, there is increasing encouragement for ongoing community ecological conversion, but also, as the Pontifical Academy of Sciences shows, the data is clear. We are already in this climate and ecological catastrophe. Globally, we are not slowing or stopping climate and ecological collapse. The drivers of climate and ecological global collapse continue to increase on many fronts despite efforts to the contrary.

Recognition of what is immoral in every fibre of our being, emotional, psychological, cognitive (heart, head and spirit) is an ongoing pre-requisite of 'turning' and repentance. It is fundamental. In the face of rapid climate change, sacred liturgy, including Holy Mass of a Solemn Feast Day of Creation, would direct and nourish our hearts, heads, spirit and being so that our prayer, belief and living can align and flourish in God's goodness. The ongoing community conversion and integral ecology we so urgently need must have the spiritual focus and support that a Solemnity of Creation would give.

The Global Majority World is calling for it

The majority world of the Global South have done the least to contribute to climate chaos and yet suffer the most. Since they are on the front line there is an ongoing distillation of experience, expertise and wisdom. In general, these voices are not heeded and honoured in the political and economic systems of Global North dominance and power. This summer a message was delivered from the Catholic Episcopal Conferences and Councils of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean on the Occasion of November's COP30 UN Climate Conference. It is a powerful letter, containing a message that we in the Global North Church need to listen to, amplify and act on. In addition, within the Church, 27 countries from the Global South are requesting that there be a Solemnity of Creation. This would be a significant act of unity and hope. It would be a powerful antidote to the mind set of destruction and denial.

Pope Francis used the Tower of Babel to interpret what is happening to us today. He said that we are building a tower of human arrogance with bricks of power. The way forward was embodied by people in the film 'The Letter'. Pope Francis said on 'The Letter': "It's like a choir. We have to sing together, and right now unity means saving mother Earth, saving biodiversity, saving ourselves and our children. But don't dismiss anyone in this throwaway culture… Everyone in their own country, in their town, in their culture, has to find a way to solve this. All together, all together."

The Church praying in unity is powerful. It is true that we now have a Mass for the Care of Creation but the rhythm of the official worldwide liturgical calendar with its feasts and solemnities offers a unique and wonderful crucible of conversion as well as hymn of praise. To have a Solemnity of the Mystery of God in Creation is a fitting way of being Church and going forward in this urgent time of challenge.

LINK

THE FEAST OF CREATION IN CHRIST: WHY & HOW TO SUPPORT THE PROCESS?

www.bit.ly/memo-feast