From September 1st – October 4th we celebrated the Season of Creation. This has become an annual celebration supported by Christians of all traditions with prayer and action aimed at the protection of creation. It is hope that humanity is growing in awareness of the need to protect everything that God has created.
Each season in nature has a beauty that is enveloped in mystery. When we make time to “stand and stare” we share and are enfolded in this blessed mystery.
In the life of every person there are seasons and the beauty of our personal seasons are also open to the mystery of God.
Scripture tells us,
“There is a season for everything…under heaven;
A time for giving birth;
a time for dying,
a time for planting,
a time for uprooting what has been
planted…
A time for loving,
a time for hating;
a time for war,
a time for peace”. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 8)
We, as are part of God’s creation, are held in this on-going cycle of the seasons of life and it is important to remember that God journeys with us through them all.
In our life as Church there are liturgical seasons and the one we are immersed in during these days is the season of Advent as we wait in “joyful hope” for the coming of Jesus, who is Emmanuel, God with us. The coming of God into the world is a reminder of a treasure of our faith namely, joy. Pope Francis writes about joy.
“I realise of course that Joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially in the moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved”. (Evangelii Gaudium #6)
Sr Catherine Corrigan, RNDM