“Praised be You!” (Laudato si!)
What a profound resonance in our hearts!
To praise is a verb that invites us to look attentively at the world around us and helps us to understand more deeply the wonder and the creative beauty of our God. It also reminds us that, in His mercy, He created humankind immediately after the whole of creation, in order to present it to us and entrust us with the great mission of caring for it through our praises.
In the religious lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Marie Eugénie of Jesus, “Praised be You!” was a guiding expression. Although they did not live in the same century, they both showed that the contemplation of nature leads us to direct our prayer toward the will of God.
By composing his hymn to creation, Saint Francis of Assisi sought to explain to us, in a simple and understandable way, the fraternal relationship between humankind and creation as a whole (Brother Sun and Sister Moon), as well as the maternal bond we share with it (Sister our Mother Earth). Let us not forget that this very refrain inspired the title of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, dedicated to the protection of the environment. In this way, praising the beauty of creation becomes a call to live in such a way that we truly safeguard our common home.
Praise, expressed through adoration—as she herself invited her sisters to practice—was also central in the life of Saint Marie Eugénie of Jesus, who grew up in the gardens and parks of her parents’ estates. There she learned to perceive creative beauty in small details: in the flowers and forests she contemplated endlessly with her brother. For her, this praise embodied freedom and escape, reminding us that all creation sings glory and adoration.
On the occasion of this Season of Creation, let us unite our admiration with that of these saints who preceded us in the contemplation of the beauty of nature. Let us raise our praises of gratitude to our Creator, for their writings remind us to respect more faithfully this creative natural beauty, so as to glorify the Most High and to guide our brothers and sisters along the path of unceasing praise, toward a common cause within our one shared home.
By Josette Ruremesha
Province of Rwanda - Chad