This past weekend, I spent six glorious hours with a gathering of women from the Diocese of St. Augustine who wished to Celebrate Creation. It was a day to be immersed in the deeper dimensions of creation theology with a “Franciscan” flair!

I believe the article that we have on our website today from our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI hits exactly the message my seminar delivered this weekend:

“The direct correlation between the divine mission of ‘work and preserve’ and all the aspects of contemporary life is the only perspective for a harmonious coexistence with each of the elements of creation, and the whole of the natural world in general”

Work and Preserve! That is the essence of caring for creation.

Humankind must approach care of creation objectively, which is in a labor of love and subjectively, which is in fulfilling the divine intent.

One of the points that I made during the meeting was our place in this world as originally intended by God. Humankind was created in the IMAGE of God and given dominion over all that God had created through Love. Often times, dominion is interpreted as humankind having power over and the ability to use that power as seen fit. But, taken back to the original Hebrew, the interpretation of the word IMAGE actually translates as STAND IN, “one who represents another who is greater.” Thus making “dominion” a divine vocation, not a personal right.

Given that connotation, you can certainly see how far from the original divine intent we have come.

Thus, my intentions to bring the truth and basic principle that the Genesis story initiates will continue.

I have to thank all the ladies who came to participate in my Celebrating Creation seminar!!!! To be blessed to be in a room full of women who were brought together to connect by mutual love with God’s creatures and the world around us, truly was magnificent! You can never give more than you receive, and I thank you all and bless you all for the love and mission each of you carries within her heart!

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