Find Season of Creation Reflection, Prayer, and Action prompts all this month. We hope these resources will guide and inspire your journey to a renewed relationship with God and Creation.
Week #3 Reflection & Study: Solidarity with People Who are Vulnerable
Position yourself near a beloved tree or a window in view of a tree.
Observe how it stands, rooted securely in the soil. Notice how it gives freely of shade, oxy-gen, shelter, sustenance, and medicine.
Witness the gifts trees offer to our interconnected ecosystems: cooling neighborhoods, preventing soil erosion, removing carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change, and bringing joy to people.
Trees are not solitary. Beneath the soil, their roots and fungi are connected in networks, allowing them to share nutrients, communicate danger, and support one another. Older “mother trees” are known to support younger saplings beneath the forest. Trees can also release chemical signals via scents that alert neighboring trees to defend themselves against threats. Creation flourishes through connection and cooperation.
Prayer: Everything Sings Greatness
Praise and thanks be to You,
~ – Originally written in Italian by Giovanni Zanaboni, Laudato Si’ Animator. Arcidosso, Toscana, Italy
Creator of the universe
For the beauty and variety You have given us.
As seasons change,
the colors of the woods, countryside and meadows
also change continuously and bring joy to our eyes,
along with new scents even for those who cannot see.
How marvelous the perfect mechanism that You thought of,
one of an orderly and joyful coexistence,
and with so much responsibility for the beings
You created in Your own image and likeness!
The scent of the flowers, the majesty of the trees,
the song of the birds, the spectacle of the mushrooms
make of Your woods stupendous cathedrals,
where we celebrate in joy the memorial of creation
and our covenant as brothers and sisters.
From the heights of the snowy peaks
and from the depths of the abysses of the cerulean seas
everything sings the greatness of God our Creator.
Laudato Si’, our Lord! Amen
Action — Helping to Heal the Earth: Substitute Plant Based Protein for Meat
To celebrate the Season of Creation, I invite us to commit to just one action this week to help heal the Earth: Try the Plant-Powered Food Swap.
Now, stay with me—I’m not asking anyone to become a full-time vegetarian! Many of us love meat, and it’s a comfort food for good reason. But I do challenge you to try swapping out a few meat-based proteins this week for plant-based ones, as a way to care for creation.
When we choose to eat animal-based meat products, we are contributing to environmental harm in a few ways. The entire process of raising animals—from clearing land for grazing to the methane gas produced in the guts of many animals—adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. For example, per 100 grams of protein, beef production releases 35.5 kg of greenhouse gases, while legumes release only 0.9 kg. Simply by eating lower on the food chain, you can help fight climate change! source: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food
To get us started, here are some delicious whole-food proteins to consider adding to your meals: lentils, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, quinoa, green peas, and edamame.
Not only do these plants provide plenty of protein, but they’re also packed with nutrients that are good for your health. In fact, “”Plant-based foods are full of fiber and nutrients that may help prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic illnesses. They also can help maintain a healthy weight.” source https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-eating-more-plant-proteins
If you’re dining in the Marywood dining room—or even cooking at home—here are a few easy swaps you might try this week:
- Top your salad with garbanzo beans instead of chicken (14.5g vs. 31g protein per 100g).
- Thursday Supper: Choose the pea protein hotdog instead of the beef hotdog (9g vs. 7g protein).
- Friday Supper: Try a soy protein sausage patty instead of bacon (13g vs. 14g protein).
- Saturday Supper: Choose the black bean soup over grilled chicken (8g vs. 22g protein).
In honor of the Season of Creation, let’s try the plant-powered food swap—one meal at a time—for the health of our Earth and ourselves.
Find Season of Creation Reflection, Prayer, and Action prompts all this month.
-We hope these resources will guide and inspire your journey to a renewed relationship with God and Creation.
