Even as we look to the sky for a change in weather, the Second Vatican Council tells us that “…the Church has always had the duty to scrutinize the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel” (Gaudium et Spes #4). Pope Paul VI was reading the signs of the times when in 1971 he stated: “Due to an ill-considered exploitation of nature, humanity runs the risk of destroying it and becoming in turn a victim of this degradation” (Octogesima Adveniens, #21). Pope John Paul II was reading the signs of the times when at Hiroshima in 1981 he proclaimed: “From now on it is only through conscious choice and through a deliberate policy that humanity can survive.”  Pope Benedict XVI was reading the signs of the times in 2009 when he stated: “The church has a responsibility towards creation, and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere. In so doing, she must defend not only earth, water, and air as gifts of creation that belong to everyone. She must above all protect humankind from self-destruction” (Caritas in Veritate, #51). Pope Francis was reading the signs of the times when in 2015 he asserted: “Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving the coming generations debris, desolation, and filth. The pace of consumption, and environmental change has so stretched the planets capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes…” (Laudato Si’ #161).

If Jesus is to save us from ourselves, we must resist the temptation to recreate the Savior in our own image and likeness. We must not promote self-serving political ideologies and false narratives which undermine the common good, the dignity of others, and our own personal integrity. We must not hide behind a veneer of private piety which blesses political positions contrary to the love of God and neighbor with silence. What good is our faith if we don’t stand against dishonesty, violence and injustice in solidarity with the “least of these?”



Pope Paul VI was reading the signs of the times when in 1967 he stated: “Avarice, both in individuals and nations, is the most obvious sign of moral underdevelopment” (On the Development of the Peoples #19). Love of money is a false god (Mt: 6:24). In 1987, Pope John Paul II wrote: “One of the greatest injustices in the contemporary world consists precisely in this; that the ones who possess much are relatively few and those who possess almost nothing are many” (On Social Concerns, #27). He states: “Today, given the worldwide dimension which the social question has assumed, this love of preference for the poor, and the decisions which it inspires in us, cannot but embrace the immense multitudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those without medical care and above all, those without hope for a better future. To ignore them would mean becoming like the ‘rich man’ who pretended not to know the beggar Lazarus lying at his gate” (SC #42). St. Paul reminds us that “love of money is the root of all evils (1 Tm 6-10). Pope Francis asserts that “the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor” (Laudato Si’, #2,). He asks: “Is it realistic to hope that those who are obsessed with maximizing profits will stop to reflect on the environmental damage that they will leave behind for future generations?” (Laudato Si’, #190) Pope Leo XIV tells us: “On all sides, injustice, violations of international law and the rights of peoples, grave inequalities and the greed that fuels them are spawning deforestation, pollution and the loss of biodiversity. Extreme natural phenomena caused by climate changes provoked by human activity are growing in intensity and frequency” (Care for Creation, 2025).

In October 2023, Pope Francis issued Laudate Deum. “With the passage of time,” he states, “I have realized that our responses have not been adequate while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing a breaking point. In addition to this possibility, it is indubitable that the impact of climate change will increasingly prejudice the lives and families of many people. We will feel its effects in the areas of healthcare, sources of employment, access to resources, housing, forced migrations, etc. (#2).” The political leaders and public policies we support reflect our spiritual values and sense of integrity as citizens. “I cannot deny that it is necessary to be honest and recognize that the most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone,” says Pope Francis, “but above all from major political decisions on the national and international level” (Laudate Deum #190). Our country (the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases) is once again pulling out of the Paris Agreement which seeks to limit greenhouse gas emissions globally. Substantial cuts have been made to the Environmental Protection Agency, including to its Office for Research and Development. Tax credits for electric vehicles and clean energy initiatives such as renewable solar and wind power are being phased out, serving to undermine our credibility and moral authority as a responsible leader in the free world.

Jesus was reading the signs of the times when he lamented: “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Mt 23:37-39) “Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers,” says Pope Francis, “can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions” (Laudato Si, #14). Pope Leo XIV states: “We must pray for the conversion of many people, both inside and outside the Church who still do not recognize the urgency for caring for our common home… We hear the cry of the earth and the poor, for that cry has reached the heart of God. Our indignation is his indignation; our work is his work.” (First Care for Creation Mass). In his “Care for Creation 2025” message he states: “Environmental justice — implicitly proclaimed by the prophets — can no longer be regarded as an abstract concept or a distant goal. It is an urgent need that involves much more than simply protecting the environment. For it is a matter of justice — social, economic, and human. For believers it is also a duty born of faith, since the universe reflects the face of Jesus Christ, in whom all things were created and redeemed. In a world where the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation, and pollution, care for creation becomes an expression of our faith and our humanity.”

To care for creation is to care for each other, our unborn children, and our children’s children. “I ask everyone,” said Pope Francis, “to accompany this pilgrimage of reconciliation with the world that is our home and to help make it beautiful, because that commitment has to do with our personal dignity and highest values.” (LD #69) St. Joseph’s now has a Care for Creation Ministry. Recycling and waste reduction efforts have been introduced in our parish. If you have not read Laudato Si’ or Laudate Deum, please do so, for having an informed faith stops us from being misled by misinformation. Each of us are called to continue to grow in wisdom, even as Jesus grew in wisdom. We all have blind spots, weaknesses, and unconscious bias. We all experience suffering, vulnerability, and fear. Sometimes, we feel the world is changing so fast we’re not sure what to believe anymore.  May we listen to our higher angels and draw upon the most credible spiritual, intellectual, and scientific resources in our efforts to care for our common home. The reason I reference papal encyclicals is because they represent the formal teaching authority of the Catholic Church. 

Human beings are but a minuscule part of all God’s creation. Theoretical physicist Alan Lightman writes that the earth is “only one among billions of planets in our galaxy, which is only one among billions of galaxies in the observable universe…” As our understanding of the cosmos expands, our understanding of God the creator must evolve as well. May we ponder our place in God’s creation with humility, reverence, and a contemplative gaze. Dostoyevsky once said that if the world is to be saved, it will be saved by beauty. Together we may learn how to better care for each other and our common home.

Tom Reichert treichert@saintjosephcc.org                  Art: Tom Reichert