Laudate Si and the Ascension

Pope Francis’s seminal encyclical, “Laudate Si”, references Saint Francis eight centuries ago who sang, “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.” [St Francis of Assisi - Canticle of the Creatures]. While celebrating the glory of our Creator (Ephesians 1:17-23), we are reminded too of the Creator’s authority invested in Christ and his church and the awesome fullness of all creation. Pope Francis reproves us in Laudate Si because, “This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her.” [Laudate Si 2]

Appropriately this Sunday, as we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, related by Luke both in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:1-11) and in the Gospel (Luke 24:46-53), we also celebrate the culmination of Laudate Si Week in the Church. Jesus at his Ascension promises that the Holy Spirit will enable the disciples and the Church (his body according to Paul in Ephesians) to witness to him to the ends of the earth. It is that space, witnessing to our Creator - incarnate in creation, that our Ascension readings today point us to the church’s Laudate Si journey of greater love for our Creator, each other, and the home that we share.

Laudate Si Week events have highlighted Catholic teaching on biodiversity, response to the cry of the poor, divestment, education, eco-spirituality and the climate crisis. And our Australian Catholic Bishops have enthusiastically endorsed the Laudate Si Action Plan, engaging parishes, dioceses, religious orders, schools, businesses, farming communities, and organisations in utilising Australian church leadership, commitment, and imagination on the plan. (Bishop Vincent Long, May 2022).

Deacon Mark Kelly