Video - His Eminence Metropolitan Anba Thomas Presents a Hopeful Reflection on the Occasion of the Season of Creation

He calls for Ongoing Work to Preserve the Environment:

“The gift of being created in the image of God also carries the responsibility of caring for all creation”

The Middle East Council of Churches

“In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.” (Genesis 1: 1-2). This is how God created Earth and everything on it, and gathered all of them in one environment, thus creating Man in His image, and after His likeness, making him guardian of the Earth "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground." (Genesis 1:26).

On the occasion of the “Season of Creation” 2024 which carries this year the theme “To hope and act with Creation”, His Eminence Metropolitan Anba Thomas, Bishop of Al-Qusiyah and Primate of the Coptic Orthodox Church, founder of the Anafora Center in Egypt, presented a spiritual reflection full of hope, faith and an emphasis on the need to continue working to preserve the Earth and everything on it, based on the responsibility that God has entrusted human to it.

This reflection came within the international Ecumenical celebration that was held online on the first of September 2024, at the invitation of His Holiness Pope Francis, His Beatitude the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, His Beatitude Archbishop Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and Head of the Anglican Church, as well as many Heads of Churches and Ecumenical Leaders from around the world, in addition to the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and concerned organizations and institutions.

In this context, you may watch and listen to the meditation via the video. You may also read its full text below.

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.

When the Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38

it is indeed true that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Why is this? Because the workers are those who have grasped the divine purpose, and thus they are few. Creation groans and waits with eager expectation for the revelation of the children of God.

The revelation of the children of God is quite scarce these days, as we see that creation needs this revelation of the human being who is created in the image of God, who was given the example, and who was also crowned with all authority to rule over creation, but to shepherd it.

Few are the workers, yet the harvest is plentiful. The harvest is plentiful because the world needs the revelation of the children of God. The revelation of the divine purpose in us means understanding that this divine purpose is not only the revelation of the coming eternity but also the divine purpose in our present world. This present world of ours needs us to align with God’s purpose.

And what is God’s true purpose in our lives? It is to be conformed to the image of His Son. That is why the workers are few. Few are the workers who labor for the Lord’s vineyard, who labor for the revelation of the children of God, to fulfill the divine purpose in us, meaning that we should also be in this creation a system that aligns with God’s will in complete, comprehensive, and joyful care for all creation.

Thus, we have a fundamental role in this system. Man has a fundamental role in this system, and how many are the children of God who represent Christ, our God, who became human like us so that we might become like Him. Thus, there is spiritual care, universal care for every human being. We need to emulate Christ in this to receive this care ourselves. Therefore, the abundant harvest is truly our responsibility, and every genuine gift that God has given us also comes with a responsibility. The gift of being created in the image of God also carries the responsibility of caring for all creation.

May God grant you all grace and blessings, and let us all agree to fulfill God's purpose so that we may truly be the children of God.

May God grant you grace and blessings. To our God be all glory and honor forever, Amen.”

Arabic Guide of the “Season of Creation” 2024

English Guide of the “Season of Creation” 2024

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