Homily by Pope Leo XIV
Dear brothers and sisters,
On this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the readings chosen for today’s liturgy offer us two invitations to contemplate the works of the Lord — a task that is certainly not difficult in the setting of these beautiful gardens.
The Book of Wisdom encourages us to contemplate the beauty and power of creation, in order to appreciate its Creator (cf. Wis 13:1–9). It would be superficial to marvel at fire, wind, rushing waters or the stars of heaven, without allowing our gaze to rise to the Creator of such wonders.
Psalm 18 urges us to lift our eyes to contemplate the heavens, which proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament, which declares the work of his hands. All creation speaks to us of the greatness of its Creator, if only our eyes and hearts remain open to such a great mystery.
Similarly, the Gospel passage from Matthew (cf. Mt 6:24–34) invites us to contemplate creation, while emphasizing the Lord’s special love for the human person. As we look upon the birds of the air and the lilies of the field with wonder — so precious in the eyes of their Creator — we come to understand the greatness of God’s love for us. If the Lord does not fail to bestow such splendid beauty upon plants and animals and provide for all their needs, how much more attentive will he be to the needs of his beloved sons and daughters!
This evening, as we accept the invitation to pause and reflect before the works of God, we begin the “Season of Creation” — a period of five weeks devoted to prayer and commitment to the care of our “common home.” On this Day, therefore, and in the weeks ahead, let us set aside a few moments to pause from the frenzy of our daily lives, in order to savor the profound harmony of which we ourselves are a part. Let us place in “silent mode” the many noises generated by human activity, so that we may hear the melodious voice of creation, through which God, the Author of all things, speaks to us.
This task of contemplation, which disposes us to an encounter with the Lord, is a first step towards an “authentic ecological conversion, where the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us” (Message for the Eleventh World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, 1 September 2026).
From contemplating creation and encountering its Creator, there arises an awareness of our particular place within God’s wondrous plan, and of the responsibility that we bear both personally and collectively for preserving the original harmony. Thus, as we become conscious of our shortcomings and failures, we can renew our commitment to restoring the relationships among all creatures according to the will of their Creator.
For this reason, the Message for today’s World Day echoes “the prophetic call to ‘beat swords into ploughshares’ (Is 2:4)… to transform harm into life.” It is not yet too late, and the Season of Creation calls us to a profound conversion: “What has been used for destruction can be redirected toward life, toward the care of the poor, the nourishment of the hungry, and the safeguarding of creation” (ibid.).
The Season we begin today will conclude on 4 October, when we will celebrate the eighth centenary of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis drew particular inspiration from him in writing the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ and in giving life to the Borgo that welcomes us today.
Let us therefore unite ourselves spiritually with the Poverello of Assisi and make his Canticle of praise our own:
“Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun…
Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars…
Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Wind…
Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Water…
Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Fire…
Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us.”
With Saint Francis, let us renew our commitment to living and promoting that universal fraternity which is inseparably bound to the task of caring for creation.
Source: vaticannews.va
