Laudato Si' -- On Care for Our Common Home

For the last five years St. Luke's has taken part in the growing, ecumenical, international movement called "The Season of Creation." In response to the unprecedented ecological crisis now facing both humanity and the planet as a whole, Christian theologians and ethicists around the world have called for this new liturgical season beyond ordinary time or festival time -- a liturgical season for this extraordinary, global "time of trial."In my sermon this past Sunday I invited you to read Pope Francis' most recent letter to the whole church, Laudato Si' (taken from Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures" which begins, "Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us..."). I want to renew that invitation to you now, midway through the week, knowing that there are so many things that draw our attention away from worship and its work of humanizing human life. In fact, one of the real obstacles to powerful action on the issue of the environment is that it feels like "one more thing" we need to attend to in the midst of our lives, which are already so full. In truth, if we do not attend to this "one more thing" right now, our children and grandchildren will pay the bill for our apathy. The fact that we have become accustomed to news about climate crisis does not make it any less of an emergency.Therefore, I'm asking you to find time to read Laudato Si' this month in an effort to build a shared vocabulary and a common platform for understanding and action on the issue of climate change and the environmental crisis at hand. Ideally you would read it with someone in your home, or with two or three others at St. Luke's. Perhaps you'd consider asking a friend or co-worker to read it with you, and then to discuss what you found most troubling ... or most hopeful!To download a free copy of Laudato Si', click here.In Christ,Pastor ErikSt. Luke's is observing the Season of Creation for four Sundays this fall, September 13 through October 4.  On Sunday, October 4 (observed by millions of Christians around the world as the "Feast of St. Francis") we will hold our annual "Blessing of the Animals" during worship.