Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
The Season of Creation begins on 1 September and continues through to the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October. This ecumenical season is celebrated by Christian churches across the world and gives the opportunity to reflect more deeply on the gift of our common home and our sacred responsibility to care for it.
The 2024 theme is Hope and Act with Creation and the accompanying symbol, The First Fruits of Hope, is grounded in Romans 8:19-25. Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ has inspired some wonderful new musical compositions and some fresh arrangements of classic hymns that celebrate the glory of creation. Each year at this time we are invited to renew our commitment to preserve, protect and restore our earth.
TEND THE GROUND
The traditional setting of ‘All creatures of our God and king’, which is inspired by St Francis of Assisi’s original Laudato Si’ text, has been arranged by Rick Modlin. It comes from a collection called Our Common Home: Songs for liturgy and prayer, inspired by Laudato Si’, available from publisher OCP. Another popular hymn from this collection comes from Curtis Stephan and is called ‘Tend the ground’:
We till the earth, we tend the ground,
sowing hope and peace where none is found.
In selfless love God’s life abounds.
We till the earth, we tend the ground.
Stephan also has a joyful hymn called ‘One heart’ that is a good fit for the Season of Creation.
CHALLENGING TEXT
‘Touch the earth lightly’ has a challenging text from New Zealand’s Shirley Erena Murray and is set to music by Tony Alonso. It acknowledges that the earth also cries out in pain and hurt, and that conversion of mind and heart is needed in the way people live with and care for the natural world of which they are part. This hymn would work well in prayer services for Care of Creation. From the last verse:
God of all living, God of all loving,
God of the seedling, the snow and the sun,
Teach us, deflect us, Christ reconnect us,
using us gently, and making us one.
As we move through the Season of Creation this year, we continue to look at how we can make listening and responding to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor a daily part of our own living, especially in intentionally adopting the Laudato Si’ goals.
Fiona Dyball works across parish, school and tertiary settings in Melbourne as a musician and liturgist, and serves on the national executive of the Australian Pastoral Musicians’ Network.
RESOURCES
Laudato Si’
Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home
Laudato Si’ goals
Liturgy
‘All creatures of our God and king’ (Traditional, LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
YouTube | Catholic Worship Book ll 535 or Digital Download (DD) from OCP
Our Common Home: Songs for liturgy and prayer, inspired by Laudato Si’
‘All Creatures of our God and king’ arranged by Rick Modlin
YouTube | Sheet music (DD) from OCP
‘Tend the ground’ by Curtis Stephan
YouTube | Sheet music (DD) from OCP
Music suggestions from the ACBC Social Justice Statement ‘Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor’ (see end of Liturgy Notes)
‘One heart’ by Curtis Stephan
YouTube | Sheet music (DD) from OCP
‘Touch the earth lightly’ by Tony Alonso and Shirley Erena Murray
YouTube | Sheet music (DD) from GIA
Personal prayer and prayer services
‘Garden’ by Matt Maher from Alive Again
YouTube | Order from OCP
‘Garden’ (A Song for Season of Creation) by Mikali Anagnostis
YouTube acoustic version | YouTube studio version
‘Gardens’ by Beth Doherty
YouTube
