Rev. Fr. Paul AKINTAYO

Today is the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. It is also the day on which the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria has transferred the celebration of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation from its universal date of 1st September to the First Sunday of September, which falls today, 6th September 2026. Therefore, our reflection today will focus particularly on the significance of this celebration and our Christian responsibility towards God’s creation.

 

Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is centred on the theme: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4). (Vatican) The Holy Father draws our attention to the dangerous relationship between armed conflicts and environmental destruction. He explains that armed conflicts and environmental degradation often create a vicious cycle that destroys ecosystems, contaminates essential resources such as air and water, and threatens food security. This, in turn, fuels poverty, inequality and social tensions, which can contribute to further conflicts.

 

The Pope further reminds us that war does not only destroy human lives; it also wounds the entire fabric of creation. War damages our relationship with one another and with the earth entrusted to our care. It reveals a deeper failure to live according to our dignity as people created in the image and likeness of God. (Vatican)

 

The message of Isaiah is therefore very significant: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” Weapons that are designed to destroy life must be transformed into instruments that sustain life. What has been used for destruction must be redirected towards the care of the poor, the feeding of the hungry and the protection of creation.

 

The first reading, from the Book of Wisdom (Wisdom 13:1-9), teaches us that creation itself points us towards its Creator. The beauty, order and power of nature should lead us to recognize the greatness of God. If creation is so beautiful and powerful, how much greater must be the God who created it?

Wisdom 13:5 expresses this beautifully: “For from the greatness and beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.” Creation is therefore not God, but it reveals something about God. When we look at the beauty of the earth, the sky, the sea, the mountains, the trees and all living creatures, we should be moved to praise the One who created them.

 

The second reading, from Colossians 1:15-20, presents Christ as the centre and Lord of creation. Everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, was created through Him and for Him. Christ is not separated from creation; rather, creation finds its meaning and purpose in Him.

 

This reminds us of the opening of John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Through Him all things came into being (John 1:3), and “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). In Christ, God entered into His creation in a profound way. Through Christ, God desires to reconcile all things to Himself (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:19).

 

The Gospel (Matthew 6:24-34) challenges us to examine our relationship with material possessions. Jesus tells us that we cannot serve both God and mammon. Wealth and material possessions are not evil in themselves, but they become dangerous when they become our masters. Possessions are meant to be instruments for responsible stewardship, not idols that determine our peace, happiness and sense of worth.

 

Jesus therefore tells us: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Our first priority must be God. When God occupies the centre of our lives, we learn to use material things responsibly and to care for the people and world He has entrusted to us.

 

As we celebrate the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, a brief reflection on Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ is also necessary. Published in 2015, Laudato Si’ focuses on environmental degradation, human responsibility and the urgent need to protect “our common home.” Pope Francis reminds us that environmental problems such as climate change, pollution, water scarcity and the loss of biodiversity affect everyone, but they particularly harm the poor and vulnerable.

 

Creation is not something given to us to exploit selfishly. It is a gift from God entrusted to our care. We are therefore called to undergo a profound ecological conversion: to change our attitudes, adopt responsible lifestyles, reduce waste, protect natural resources and show greater concern for the poor and future generations.

 

Our celebration today must therefore go beyond prayer alone. Prayer must lead to action. As St James reminds us, “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17). If we pray for the care of creation but continue to pollute our environment, waste resources, destroy forests, dispose of refuse carelessly and ignore the suffering of people affected by environmental degradation, our prayer becomes incomplete.

 

The care of creation begins with simple actions. We can keep our surroundings clean, avoid unnecessary waste, plant and protect trees, conserve water, care for animals and use the resources of the earth responsibly. We can also promote peace because, as Pope Leo XIV reminds us, war and environmental destruction are deeply connected. (Vatican)

 

Therefore, as we pray for our world today, let us ask God to transform our hearts. May He transform our weapons of destruction into instruments of life, our greed into generosity, our carelessness into responsibility, our conflicts into peace, and our exploitation of creation into responsible stewardship.

 

May we never forget that the earth is not merely a possession; it is our common home and a precious gift from God.

May our prayers today be supported by concrete actions that will make our world a better place not only for ourselves, but also for generations yet unborn. May God bless us, bless our common home, and give us the wisdom and courage to care for His creation. Amen.