God Asks Us to Be Caretakers
Suggested supplies:
- Journal, art tools, (crayons, markers etc.), scissors. glue sticks, pen/pencil
- Material for craft activity: “Creation Collage” : cardstock, old magazines (nature, gardening, chldren’s, outdoor themes)
Welcome Back, Earthkeepers!
Last week we heard how God created everything, and that’s why we need to respect it and be sure to say wow! Today I have a question for you: If God created everything, then who does it all belong to? You probably answered GOD.
It does belong to God. BUT God has also given it to us as a special kind of gift. We get to use it for food and everything else we need, but we need to treasure it, take care of it, and share it.
Scriptural focus, Luke 13: 6–9
The Story of a Fig Tree
(As one person reads the story out loud, picture it in your mind.)
Reader:
Jesus told the people a story: “There was a man who had a fig tree planted in his yard. One day he came looking for fruit on it but there wasn’t any. So he said to the gardener, “What’s going on? For three years I have come looking for fruit on this tree, and I still haven’t found any! Chop it down! Why should I be wasting the soil?”
The gardener replied, “Let’s give it one more year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. You might get fruit next year! If not, you can cut it down then.”
For reflection and sharing:
Who is the caretaker in this story?
The gardener is the caretaker, He was patient, and wanted to give the tree another chance. The owner wanted to get rid of something just because it didn’t give him what he wanted right away. .
Question to think and talk about
Are there any “throw-away items in your home that you could replace with “use again” items? I just discovered bees-wax food coverings!
Are there any items that just need repair–could you repair them rather than buy new ones? I have a few clothing items I can repair by sewing.
Are there any items that are still in good condition but never used–could you donate them to a worthwhile cause? I am preparing a couple of bMags to bring to Goodwill.
Story: Video
Reflection on Pope Francis Encyclical (“Laudato Si”)
Children:
Pope Francis encourages us to care for creation with “little daily actions” such as reducing, reusing, and recycling in Our Care for Our Common Home. Using things only once and then throwing them away is a big problem,”
Some ideas for paper are:
REDUCE: Use less paper. Use both sides of paper. Before printing copies from internet ask yourself–Could I just save it on my computer, or iPad. Use a sponge or rag instead of a paper towel to wipe things up. Use a washable plate or cup instead of a disposable one.
REUSE: Use paper more than once. Use back sides, or save and use as packing when you ship a package. Wash out and dry a plastic bag so you can use it again. Explore using materials other than plastic for storage.
RECYCLE: Put paper, boxes (after broken apart) into recycling bin.
Adults; Read Ch. 3 of Laudato Si.
Journal Activity: (Children and Adults)
Here are some words that remind us of how God wants us to be in relation with creation.
After you read them copy some of them into your journal:
Appreciate, cherish, be curious, give thanks, defend, love
Safeguard, manage, lend, watch over, nurture, observe
Explore, delight in, share, renew, treasure, protect
Notice, rejoice in, respect, develop
An invitation: choose three each day and do what those words suggest.
Art Activity: Creation Collages
(Supplies: CardstockMagazines (nature, gardening, children’s, outdoor themes Glue, Scissors)
- Cut out pictures and words that show how creation works together and examples of people being good creation caretakers (using resources wisely, and/or reducing, reusing, and recycling.)
- Paste the pictures on the cardstock. You can also use stickers, drawings . . .At the bottom of the paper print: I am a caretaker of creation.
Saint Story, St. Kateri Tekakwitha
A special saint: St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Patron of the Environment
Children:
Adults:
Saint Kater Tekakwitha’s feast day is July 14.
Prayer
Loving Creator God, we acknowledge Your power and presence in the Four Directions of your vast and beautiful universe. We celebrate Kateri Tekakwitha, “Lily of the Mohawks”, as one of You Son’s most faithful followers. Help us to turn our backs on all evil and walk in her footsteps, sharing our love and Christian concern with others. Let us reverence, as she did, your mystical presence in the poor and suffering.
St. Kateri pray with us for the healing of our planet. May our love and care for our earth grow. Show us how to grow in reverence and gratitude for the gifts of our earth.
We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus and God’s Loving Spirit. Amen.
(adapted from a Prayer from the National Shrine in Fonda (Caughnawaga) NY
At Home Challenge for the Week:
- Reduce: Use 1 less thing.
- Reuse: Use something a second time before throwing it away.
- Recycle: Create something new out of something old.
Closing Prayer
(Parents, before you share this with your children, please explain any words that might be new to them.)
Loving God, Source of all Blessings:
You bless us with colors–
the strong and the subtle ones,
cornflower blue and poppy gold,
dragonfly-wing iridescence and
lichen silver. May my eyes and
my heart receive these countless
blessings with sensitivity and pass on
my joy to brighten all that lacks
light and zest.
This is from a beautiful book which I recommend for families and all adults. 99 Blessings : An Invitation to Life, by David Steindl-Rast
Other Books and DVD’s:
Books
For Children
- Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?
- Shhh…God Is in the Silence, by
- Nature’s Patchwork Quilt, by Mary Miche
- Eliza and the Dragonfly, by Susie Caldwell Rinehart
For adults, some of David Steindl-Rast’s other books for adults are:
- Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness
- Common Sense Spirituality: The Essential Wisdom of David Steindl-Rast
- Deeper Than Words: Living the Apostles Creed
Thank you for sharing in Week 2 of Earthkeepers. Next week we will be focusing on three ideas:
- What is the difference between our wants and our needs? When do we have “enough”?
- We will learn about “manna” in the bread from a Bible story and listen to a song called “Worms in the Bread”.
- God has invited us to have some rest, prayer, and fun on a day called “The Sabbath.”
I look forward to connecting once again.