Seeing God in All Creation: A Franciscan Reflection on Caring for Our Common Home

Kelli Thomas
Oct 6
3 min read

From The Canticle of the Sun (also called Canticle of the Creatures)

“Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.”—St. Francis of Assisi

A volunteer feeding a baby squirrel milk from a syringe.

This week we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the saint who taught us to see God in everything. Saint Francis called the sun “brother,” the moon “sister,” and every creature a sign of God’s love. He didn’t worship creation. He worshiped our Lord, who created the Universe and our world. He saw clearly that creation is a mirror reflecting God’s glory. Our Sunday readings this week also speak of creation as a gift entrusted to us. Isaiah describes God’s vineyard, lovingly planted. Jesus tells the parable of tenants who failed in their duty as caretakers. Creation has never been ours to exploit. It’s ours to tend.

Awe in God’s Design

The more we learn about the natural world, the more awe it inspires. Science, far from pushing God away, often reveals just how magnificent His creation is. Did you know:

Plants can “communicate.” Through root systems and chemical signals, they warn each other of danger and even send nutrients to weaker plants nearby.
Bees dance to talk. Their “waggle dance” shows the hive where to find flowers, a reminder of God’s delicate order in even the smallest creatures.
Whales sing songs that travel for miles. Birds migrate thousands of miles with precision no GPS could match.

Each detail whispers: This is no accident. This is design.

“All creatures under heaven serve, know, and obey their Creator, each according to its own nature, better than you. - St. Francis of Assisi (Admonition V)

St. Francis’ Challenge: Stewardship, Not Ownership

St. Francis embraced poverty, not because he despised creation, but because he wanted to receive it with open hands. He knew that to love creation rightly, we must see it as gift, not possession.

As Catholics, we’re called to do the same. Pope Francis reminded us in Laudato Si’ (an encyclical letter written by Pope Francis and released in 2015) that caring for creation is not just “green living”—it’s Gospel living. It’s part of loving our neighbor, since the poor and vulnerable are the ones most harmed when the earth is mistreated.

Stewardship means:

Treating animals with compassion, not cruelty.
Protecting the land and water God has given us.
Using resources responsibly, not wastefully.
Planting seeds—literally and spiritually—that will bear fruit for generations.

Providence in Creation

When we look closely, creation also teaches us about God’s providence.

Plants heal each other.
Ecosystems balance and restore themselves.
Even in destruction, new life grows.

God built resilience into His world. If He provides for the sparrows and the lilies (Matthew 6:26–28), how much more will He provide for us?

This week take time to notice the world around you. Watch the leaves changing color. Notice the birds at your feeder. Thank God for clean water, for rain, for sunlight. These everyday miracles are reminders that God is not just our Creator; He is the Sustainer. And then ask yourself: How can I care for this gift? Am I able to waste less? Can I recycle or reuse more? Plant something new? How can I support organizations protecting God’s creatures and lands? Caring for creation is not just for environmentalists. It’s for all of us who believe in the God who said, “It is very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

What do you think?

Where do you most clearly see God’s hand in creation? In the stars, the trees, the animals, the oceans? Share your reflection in the comments. I’d love to hear what fills you with awe at our Creator’s design.

Sources:

Pope Francis. Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Vatican Press, 2015. Full text available at www.vatican.va.

Scientific Sources:

Research cited from Nature, Science, Current Biology, and Animal Behaviour journals; BBC Earth; and classic works by Karl von Frisch and Suzanne Simard.