The Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation: Joint
message
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| File photo of Pope Francis, right, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I signing a joint declaration on the Greek island of Lesbos, in 2016. - AP |
(Vatican Radio) The Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
is being marked today September 1 and has special importance in this its third
year.
It is a Joint Message which was released on Friday morning
from Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who for the first time
are writing together on Themes of the Day, inviting all the faithful and men of
good will to prayer and to reflect on how to live in a simple and solid manner,
responsibly using earthly goods.
The Day of Prayer for the Creation of the Creation was
instituted by Pope Francis in 2015. The Orthodox Church has commemorated the
Day since 1989.
Below find the English Language translation of
the Joint Message from Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
JOINT MESSAGE
of Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
on the World Day of Prayer for Creation
The story of creation presents us with a panoramic view of
the world. Scripture reveals that, “in the beginning”, God intended humanity to
cooperate in the preservation and protection of the natural environment. At
first, as we read in Genesis, “no plant of the field was yet in the earth and
no herb of the field had yet sprung up – for the Lord God had not caused it to
rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground” (2:5). The earth
was entrusted to us as a sublime gift and legacy, for which all of us share
responsibility until, “in the end”, all things in heaven and on earth will be
restored in Christ (cf. Eph 1:10). Our human dignity and welfare are deeply
connected to our care for the whole of creation.
However, “in the meantime”, the history of the world
presents a very different context. It reveals a morally decaying scenario where
our attitude and behaviour towards creation obscures our calling as God’s
co-operators. Our propensity to interrupt the world’s delicate and balanced
ecosystems, our insatiable desire to manipulate and control the planet’s
limited resources, and our greed for limitless profit in markets – all these
have alienated us from the original purpose of creation. We no longer respect
nature as a shared gift; instead, we regard it as a private possession. We no
longer associate with nature in order to sustain it; instead, we lord over it
to support our own constructs.
The consequences of this alternative worldview are tragic
and lasting. The human environment and the natural environment are
deteriorating together, and this deterioration of the planet weighs upon the
most vulnerable of its people. The impact of climate change affects, first and
foremost, those who live in poverty in every corner of the globe. Our
obligation to use the earth’s goods responsibly implies the recognition of and
respect for all people and all living creatures. The urgent call and challenge
to care for creation are an invitation for all of humanity to work towards
sustainable and integral development.
Therefore, united by the same concern for God’s creation and
acknowledging the earth as a shared good, we fervently invite all people of
goodwill to dedicate a time of prayer for the environment on 1 September.
On this occasion, we wish to offer thanks to the loving Creator for the noble
gift of creation and to pledge commitment to its care and preservation for the
sake of future generations. After all, we know that we labour in vain if the
Lord is not by our side (cf. Ps 126-127), if prayer is not at the centre of our
reflection and celebration. Indeed, an objective of our prayer is to change the
way we perceive the world in order to change the way we relate to the world.
The goal of our promise is to be courageous in embracing greater simplicity and
solidarity in our lives.
We urgently appeal to those in positions of social and
economic, as well as political and cultural, responsibility to hear the cry of
the earth and to attend to the needs of the marginalized, but above all to
respond to the plea of millions and support the consensus of the world for the
healing of our wounded creation. We are convinced that there can be no sincere
and enduring resolution to the challenge of the ecological crisis and climate
change unless the response is concerted and collective, unless the
responsibility is shared and accountable, unless we give priority to solidarity
and service.
From the Vatican and from the Phanar, 1 September 2017
Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew
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