From September 1 to October 4, 2021, Catholics/Christian Family will celebrate the good gift of creation. The 2021 theme is “A Home of All? Renewing the Oikos of God“.
Oikos is a Greek word which means “Earth Community”.
Oikos is the root of the word oikoumene, or ecumenical, which describes our ‘common home’, as Pope Francis calls it in Laudato Si’. Our common home, the Earth belongs to God, and each beloved creature belongs to this common oikos.
By rooting our theme in the concept of oikos, we point to the integral web of relationships that sustain the wellbeing of the Earth. The word ecology (oikologia) describes the relationships between animals, plants, non-sentient organisms and minerals that each play a vital role in maintaining the balance of this beloved community. Each creature is important and contributes to the health and resilience of the biodiverse ecosystem in which it lives. Humans belong in the right relationship within this Earth community. We are made from the same stuff of the Earth, and are cared for by our co-creatures and the land.
(Source: Season of Creation Full Guide)
