This morning, I was reading “The Christian Century,” a protestant journal. The cover of the September 2026 issue depicts Christ Pantocreator because the “Feast of Creation in Christ,” is observed by some liturgical churches on September first. This was a decision of the World Council of Churches which is on a mission to make us Christians aware of our responsibility to value all that God has made, the vast universe of his creation.
The official date is September 1. I checked the Catholic “Ordo,” the official guide that priests use to observe liturgical feasts and memorials. Although we Catholics have not yet embraced this feast officially, we are reminded in our guide for today that Pope Francis was all for this kind of a celebration. There’s a note in the Ordo meant for the preparation for today’s Mass. The “Mass of Creation,” a recently approved votive mass would seem to be appropriate to observe this day.
In the spirit of the old idea of celebration as continuing a whole week, I invite you to take seriously this new awareness of the sanctity of creation to freshen-up September-time.
It seems to me that we can show our respect for the Lord’s creation by doing little things that – if everyone observed them – would help us revere what the Creator has supplied for our own wellbeing. Yes, I know we are not the only living things here, but we are the conservers of our world. So, I’m suggesting the following:
Conserve Water! Don’t run the water from your faucet as if there is an infinite supply of it out there. Brush your teeth but turn off the tap while you do it. At the kitchen sink, don’t let fresh water pour out of the faucet and down the drain needlessly. I think life is pretty-much a daily affair and made up of small things. Remember the countries with limited sources of water. Act like they do to use each drop of water with gratitude.
Salvage trash, carefully dispose of refuse and don’t litter the world with garbage!
Pray for good stewardship of food. Do not waste His bounty.
Feed the birds!
These are just a few practices that I thought of. You can find many of your own opportunities each day to find ways to conserve creation.
Just look over your own life and how you relate to the rest of creation. Choose one or two things where you can show more reverence to what the creator has provided.
Put your phone away and pause to thank God for what you see and hear and experience each day.