Today, Sr. Cécile Lavoie fj, tells us how the Daughters of Jesus of the Rimouski Entity celebrated Earth Day April 22, 2021.

 

What are you talking about! … Dedicate a day to celebrate the earth? That’s a strange idea!

However, this little ball floating in the air did not just appear on its own … So where does all this life, which abounds around it, come from?

The Animation Committee of Rimouski decided to highlight some of the many gifts of the Creator who gave us the earth which reflects His beauty, richness and generosity.

 

How?

 

Soeur. Ursule invited us to bring objects, photos, wood engravings, so as to mount a visual display in the chapel. Many products of the earth were thus gathered: fruit, vegetables, flowers, bread, a world globe, and photos, without forgetting our sister water – so important, as a source of life, essential for all living things. All these products of the earth completed our beautiful decor that will sustain our prayer.

The Eucharistic celebration included all the main aspects of the display. Our Chaplain spared no effort to give us an in-depth experience of all the richness and beauty of creation. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”(Gn 1, 31)

 

Using St. John’s Gospel, chapter 4, 35 and psalms 18, 103 and 148, our chaplain led us through this process. “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields white and ready for harvesting.” (Jn 4, 35)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our five senses: Gifts for Life

 

Just like the disciples we are invited to look upon creation with great tenderness:

• To listen: trees talk to one another…
• To see: a child’s smile, the inner beauty of someone …
• To smell: The scent of a flower …
• To savour: a musical selection
• To touch: the freshness of spring water …

all this in order to discover the marvels that God, our Creator, gives us.

The Encyclical Laudato Si and the Acts of the Chapter 2016 awaken our ecological awareness and call us to modify our relationship with nature. We are also invited, as written in our Acts of the Chapter, page 13: “To adopt Jesus’ attitude regarding all life and all that threatens life”, since “Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” (Laudato si No. 84)

 

Giving thanks

 

Following the experiences of such a day, we realize a little more than what comes from the earth returns to the earth. But the life that comes from God returns to God. So, we can sing his praises and thank Him for the wonderful gift of his love displayed in creation. And let us also pray, as our Chaplain Jacques invites us, for the 40 Policymakers who are presently gathered at the Summit for Climate Change to invest as much energy, research and money in renewable energies.

 

Cécile Lavoie, fj, Rimouski, Canada