In the month of September, and concluding on the feast of St Francis on October 4, many people focus on creation. For Christians, creation is not merely an academic discussion about evolution or not – it is now, much more, seen as an essential part of mission, in partnership with others who share concern for what Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si, calls “our common home”.
This site is committed to the three year lectionary (RC) and its derivative, the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). Rather than departing from that lectionary, in previous years resources have been provided on this site for a “creation reading” of our shared biblical texts. This means that this site has such creation reflections for this year, Year A.
A creation reading of the lectionary for the Sunday between 28 August and 3 September:
The Exodus reading is full of creation images – flock, wilderness, mountain, fire, bush, and God being pleased that Moses is noticing. Then there is ground which is sacred. This is followed by the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey.
Jeremiah has an eating metaphor, and a deceitful brook, with waters that fail.
Paul writes to the Romans about hunger and thirst.
The Gospel reading talks about gaining the whole world, and about life.
The additional value of using the agreed, shared texts of our three-year lectionary, rather than abandoning the lectionary to pick other, “convenient”, creation proof-texts using a concordance, is that by staying with the lectionary texts we demonstrate that creation is an integral thread woven through the whole Bible.
Please add, in the comments below, any further creation insights from the lectionary readings, as well as other creation resources that will be useful this month. Some of these ideas will be added to the Creation Season resource page which I encourage you to also check out.
Introduction to Sunday’s readings (the usual introduction format)
Off this site:
Preaching Resources Down Under
Textweek
Girardian Reflection on the lectionary
