Religious Education and Social Justice

The Season of Creation: How Nature Can Lead Us to God

During this second week of The Season of Creation let us ponder on the beauty of God's creation that is all around us but often we are too busy to notice:

Frequently we will pass by nature during our daily commute or walk around the neighborhood, but how often do we stop to appreciate its beauty or the presence of God within it? St. Bonaventure writes in The Journey of the Mind into God, “as far as the mirror of sensible things is concerned, we contemplate God not only through them, but also in them, in as far as God is in them through his essence, power, and presence—and this way of reflecting is higher than the previous one. For this reason contemplation of this sort comes second, as the second step of contemplation, by which we ought to be led to the contemplation of God in all those creatures that enter into our mind through the bodily senses.”

The Franciscan saint follows in the footsteps of St. Francis by recognizing the presence of God in nature and how the created world inevitably leads us back to the one who created it.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church echoes these thoughts, explaining, “The beauty of creation reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator and ought to inspire the respect and submission of man’s intellect and will.”

When we can see nature in this context, we will no longer be “masters” of creation, but gracious souls thankful for the many blessings God has given us in the created world.

Philip Kosloski

Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network 

Father,

You created us to praise, reverence,

 and serve You as our God and Lord, 

and by doing this we receive 

the gift of salvation. 

All other things on the earth 

are created for me, 

to help me to pursue this purpose of my creation. 

Help me to use Your creation 

insofar as it helps me to praise, reverence, 

and serve You, 

and free me of any created thing 

that hinders me.

Grant me the grace of indifference 

toward all created things, 

that I might seek only what is best for my soul and my created purpose, 

and that of my neighbor.

Let me prefer not health to sickness, 

wealth to poverty, honor to dishonor, 

a long life to a short one, 

nor any one created thing over another, 

save for what aids me most 

in loving You in this life, 

that I might love you eternally 

in the life You promise to those who praise, reverence, and serve you 

after the example of Your Son, 

through Whom and for Whom you created all things. Amen.

May God bless us all and keep us safe.

Jane Wilkinson

Religious Education Leader