It is no news that from September 1st to October 4th, 2020 all Christians are called to participate in the prayers for the Season of Creation. This period, we are asked to reflect on issues concerning the environment and creation as a whole. The season of Creation is an opportunity to renew our relationship with God and with all creation.
It is a time to remind ourselves that all creation is from God. Our work is to care for the planet so as to continue sustaining us, our families, and unborn generation as we pray. On the 1st of September, 2020, the Holy Father, Pope Francis released a message for the world day of prayer. He called for repentance for humanity’s role in the disintegration of the earth, climate disasters and the current pandemic .
We are called to examine our habits of energy usage, gas flaring, transportation and diet. We are encouraged also to eliminate the unnecessary and the superfluous and live a healthier, frugal life. We are to be more in tune with God’s creation – the earth and it’s natural resources. The theme for this year’s season of Creation is “Jubilee for the Earth”. A Jubilee is a time to remember, return, rest, restore and rejoice. It is a time to restore what the earth has lost. Laudato Si is an inspirational letter that calls for us to examine our hearts, transform our social values, change our habits and take action for global solidarity.
As stated above, the lay faithful are called to be stewards of Creation. A Steward of creation cares for the Earth and acts in ways that will restore and protect the environment. We must take care of the earth. Women as mothers are nurturers. We are biologically created to breed, nurture, and bring forth life. We also train our children from infancy to adulthood with love, patience and compassion. These attributes are needed to combat the destruction of the earth. We have been called upon to use our little way to stop pollution. Another little thing we have been called upon to do is to conserve waste.
Our plastics can be reused or disposed off properly. We are to cook only what we need, to avoid waste and leftovers can be used as compost. We are encouraged also to train our children to be more conscious of the earth and environment. Teaching them to conserve electricity and how to care for our surroundings. We are to teach them also how to pray for the Earth. CWONLA has participated in the campaign to bring restoration to our beloved Archdiocese-The land in which we live, bring up our children and work. Through the facilitation of our patron; Dame Marie Fatai-Williams, and the support of our President, Chief Mrs Philomena Omorodion, zoom lecturers were organized for the executives and deanery Coordinators to create awareness on the restoration of the earth.
We were shown the effects of wrongful use and disposal of plastics bags and bottles. How to dispose our trash and how to use the land for sustainance. We were shown how the careless attitude leads to pollution and destruction of the climate. We were taught all over again how to get the earth to yield and be replenished. Best of all, we were taught the step by step process of planting for our family’s consumption. The step by step video done by Mrs Olusola Sowemimo on the behest of Dame Marie Fatai-Williams encouraged us to go green. Radiant Sisters, we need to learn to grow our own food because all kinds of chemicals are being added to our food to speed up the growing and ripening process.
This hurts the land and hurts our bodies. The only way we can be sure of what our families are eating is by growing it ourselves. Store bought items, canned goods though beautifully packaged all have their side-effects. We should be concerned about the rising rate at which people are dying of of kidney, diabetes and cancer related diseases. We owe it to ourselves and our families to ensure a longer and productive life. In the planting videos we were taught that we do not need a large expanse of land. We can have a small garden or use a section of our backyard to plant.
As we plant, we are encouraged to keep a register to record the growth process of each item. We can plant tomato, pepper, Okro, ewedu, bitterleaf and other small items. We can plant banana and plantain trees. I personally have a plantain tree planted by my family and I. Let us go green for our sake, that of our families and for the Earth. Let us, like St. Therese of the Child Jesus says: “do small things with great love” for the Earth and through Mary our Mother we will surely succeed.
Gloria Young is the PRO of the Catholic Women Organization Lagos Archdiocese CWONLA.
