“Let Justice and Peace Flow” is the theme chosen for Season of Creation 2023 the ecumenical celebration held each year from September 1, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, to October 4th, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
The prophet Amos cries out, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24), and so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to embrace climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities that are most impacted by climate injustice and biodiversity loss.
Our prayers must call for justice not only for human beings, but for all creation. In covenant with peace, we are called to repent of our ecological sins and to change our attitudes and actions.
We want to reach out to local leaders and call our communities to actively participate in the Season of Creation by sensitizing them on the theme, and on how to respond to the cry of creation wherever the Lord calls us in our various contexts.
Watch the 2023 theme launch here.
“A mighty river” is the symbol chosen to go with this theme, representing biodiversity at risk. The urgency is growing and we must make peace with the Earth and on the Earth visible, while justice calls us to repentance and a change of attitude and actions. When we join the river of justice and peace with others, it creates hope instead of despair.
We are invited to join the river of justice and peace on behalf of all Creation and to converge our individual identities, of name, family or faith community, in this greater movement for justice, just as tributaries come together to form a mighty river.
Prophet Isaiah proclaims “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43: 19)
A mighty river can move mountains. Our individual actions during the Season of Creation are important. Celebrating creation, participating in cleanups, planting trees and reducing our carbon footprint are some of the immediate actions we can take. Get ready to organize your events!