Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B: 01.09.24
Mass @ 7.30pm – St. Andrews Church, Bagenalstown
Introduction:
It’s lovely to gather with you this Sunday evening – the Twenty-Second in Ordinary Time – here in St. Andrew’s Church as we reflect on the Season of Creation which begins today and concludes on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4th. The Book of Deuteronomy invites us “to take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you”[1]. It reminds us creation is not to be abused, exploited or damaged, but respected. This land, this place, this earth, this common home is given to us by Our Lord. It is holy ground and this year’s theme invites us ‘to hope and act with creation’.
Choosing Bagenalstown, Muinebheag for this launch makes eminent sense with the huge community initiatives that takes place on church grounds, initiatives that are in sync with the sustainable goals of Laudato Si’. Initiatives such as grinding down food waste to convert it into potting material, recycling plastic for garden furniture and growing shrubbery and flowers to brighten up public amenity areas of the town.
For moments of hopelessness, for times when we did the very opposite to what we were invited to do, for occasions when we exploited its resources, we pray for God’s love and mercy …
Homily:
There is something about September 1st. In the past it heralded the return to school for all pupils and students, but that now begins in the second half of August. September 1st reminds summer has passed, some might ask, excluding a few recent days, what summer! September 1st announces the turning of the leaves, ever so slightly, and of course the day’s closing in quicker, every evening those few minutes earlier.
September 1st now inaugurates the Season of Creation, something introduced into our faith and worship by Pope Francis in 2015, it was a response to his seminal exhortation on the environment Laudato Si’[2]. In that excellent document we are reminded that the “the cry of the earth is the cry of the poor”[3]. This Season is one observed by most Christian Churches. Indeed it was our Orthodox brothers and sisters who first came up with the idea back in 1989.
In the Vatican message for this year’s iteration of the Season with its theme ‘to hope and act with creation’, we are reminded that to hope in the biblical context does not mean to remain still and silent, but to groan, to cry out and to struggle actively for a new life in the midst of difficulties, as evident in so many passages of scripture. We see environmental challenges all around us – pollution of the air by excessive carbon emissions; pollution of our seas by illegal dumping of plastics that suffocate our fish and pollution of our land by climate change and erosion. The best friends of the environment are those who work outdoors – gardeners, farmers, fishermen – they have an ability to read the signs and observe what’s happening.
We are custodians of a fragile and broken work for tomorrows generation and those who will come after them. There are many user friendly resources on the Catholic Bishops Website with direct links from our own Kandle website[4].
When hope is lost, the beauty of faith perishes. It strikes more and more as I go hill-walking or take a stroll along the River Barrow, the eco system that surrounds us is so beautiful. The great Saint Columbanus in his very first sermon reminded us: “if you want to know the Creator, understand creation” (intellige, si vis scire Creatorem, creaturam).
Hillwalking earlier this afternoon I’m always struck by the amount of Crosses erected in honour of Holy Years and Millenniums, Eucharistic Congresses and Marian Years. This afternoons steel one honoured the recent millennium year, erected in 2002, honouring those who built an earlier concrete Cross commemorating the Eucharistic Congress in 1932. Each Cross is a destination point as the climb becomes that little more arduous.
Perhaps if we respected creation more, leaving no litter, leaving no trace, we would be living our faith and our calling so richly expressed by Deuteronomy: “to take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you”[5]. May we possess it and respect it. Blessings to all in Bagenalstown / Muinebheag and surrounding parishes in this Season of Creation.
[1] Dt.4:1
[2] Laudato Si’ was published 24 May 2015
[3] The essential theme of Laudato Si’ Exhortation
[4] www.kandle.ie
[5] Dt.4:1