“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on Earth nations in agony, bewildered by the turmoil of the ocean and its waves” (Lk 21:25)

With this Gospel of St. Luke, on Sunday, 28 November, we begin our Advent journey. After celebrating Christ as King of the Universe, we begin the most beautiful liturgical season of the year, in which we prepare ourselves to see the Child God become one of us.

This year, in the Laudato Si’ Movement, with all of you, we want to experience the gifts that God has given us in creation, and walk a path towards the origin of all creation.

Like St. Francis in the Canticle of the Creatures, which gave God many thanks for all the living beings that inhabit the planet, we want to go through each day of Advent in thanksgiving for so many things that have been given to us by our Creator God.

The sound of the waves, gravity, the clouds that give us shade and rain, the scent of plants, sand, bees, chocolate, and so many other things that we enjoy every day and rarely value them as we should.

Let us pray

God of all creation, we enter with joy into the season of Advent, anticipating your coming in the humbleness of a child, your Son Jesus. We thank you for the great gift of the Incarnation, as Jesus joined in our human nature, sharing the material being of all creation.

Let us honor the goodness of all your gifts in the natural world. In a season too often marked by overconsumption and excess, let us give thanks for all the good things throughout nature.

Each day, let us ponder their goodness as signs of your love. Let us be in solidarity with those in poverty and nurture a spirit of true generosity. May the light of Advent grow daily together with our love for your creation, redeemed by your Son whose coming we will celebrate soon.

  1. Each day, as you begin a time of prayer, offer thanks for the gift of creation noted below, saying thanks to God the Creator with your own words or these: “Loving God, Creator of all, we bless you and we thank you for the gift of [medicinal plants]. We ponder your love shown to us through these gifts and we praise you for your glory revealed throughout creation.”
  2. Observe a period of meditation on this gift of creation.
  3. Close with these words or your own prayer of gratitude: “Loving God, may these gifts of creation ever remind us of your love, as we honor the holy season of Advent. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

This year we have again learned that the future of the planet depends on our actions. Pope Francis has invited us to move towards “an eco-sustainable lifestyle,” but how can we live a more sustainable Christmas?

The customs of each year can be difficult to change, especially if they are already a habit in our family. But we propose you to raise your voice and put into practice the Christmas eco-tips that we will share on social media.

In addition, in order to journey through Advent in prayer, we invite you to download this month’s Laudato Si’ Encounter and share it with your community.