Outback Sunday is the third Sunday in September of Year A.
- Joel 1:8–10, 17–20 ‘The mourning of the wild’
- Psalm 18:1–19 ‘The wild forces of creation’
- Romans 8:18–27 ‘The groaning of creation’
- Matthew 3:13 – 4:1 or Mark 1:9–13 ‘Jesus in the wild of the wilderness’
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labour, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
This week we listen to a portion of St Paul’s letter to the Romans that has a strong creation theme. We don’t really know what signs in the natural world Paul may have had in mind as he referred to the whole creation has been groaning, was he observing environmental damage occurring around the large population centres or was this a theological concept derived from the fall in Genesis? Possibly it was both. It is well documented that the reason some earlier human civilisations failed was due to the destruction of the natural environment around the city, one examples is the city of Ephesus. In our present time we are becoming increasingly aware of the changes taking place to the natural environment that we call home. Today I saw an article in the Guardian titled “Earth ‘well outside safe operating space for humanity’” where scientists claim, “six out of nine “planetary boundaries” had been broken because of human-caused pollution and destruction of the natural world. The planetary boundaries are the limits of key global systems – such as climate, water and wildlife diversity – beyond which their ability to maintain a healthy planet is in danger of failing.” On the same day we hear that sea-ice in Antarctica is 1.5 million square kilometres less than typically seen at this time of the year (the surface area of Western Australia). Do we hearing creation groaning as it suffers together the pains of labour?
The metaphor St Paul offers here is not one of doom, but rather hope, for birth pains are the precursor for new life, for a new creation. This yearning for the renewing of creation is something we Christians are called to actively participate in.
The fifth mark of mission is “To strive to safeguard the Integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.” May our prayers for creation lead to sustained life-giving action.
Shalom. Rev Bruce
More Season of Creation liturgical resources from the Uniting Church can be found here