I have been asked to expand the creation reading of the lectionary to this coming Sunday, September 16. During September many communities celebrate a Season of Creation.
Here are the lectionary readings.
The reading from Proverbs draws on urban and rural imagery. It may be hard to find a stronger expression of creation as another testament than the first six verses Psalm 19. The Wisdom, Isaiah, and Psalm 116 texts all are framed with positive images of creation, the creation of God who makes and then exclaims that it is good. There is the beauty of the sun, the stars, light, and the earth; the joy of awakening each morning, and being in this land of the living. James understands this positive value of creation whilst acknowledging that creation can be abused, misused. The text is replete with body, horses, wind, forest. It draws from the dangers to creation from seemingly small hazard, a flame. The gospel reading stresses the value of life, and again, with a positive approach to creation it presents a warning against possessiveness in which one would try to gain “the whole world”.
This site encourages a greater consciousness of our responsibility towards creation. It is also firmly committed to the three year lectionary. I believe it is possible to keep the three year series AND to focus on creation (unlike some communities which abandon the ecumenical lectionary for this month). Doing so means communities, worship leaders, and preachers also grow in agility and awareness of creation threads and themes throughout our Christian tradition.
Most important, of course, is not just thinking about creation – but putting new disciplines into our lives – individually, communally, nationally, globally.
Further resources are found here.
Do you have suggestions or resources that you can add?
Job is about creation – ch 3 – let there be darkness – and ch 41 Leviathan – I identify Job with Leviathan – the monster that is both companion and rebellious for HaShem