Justice and Peace Issues
2026 THEMEThis year’s theme, “Living Water”, explores Ezekiel 47:9 and 12 as a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological healing. Set amid exile and loss, the image of living water flowing from God’s sanctuary reveals divine healing that renews land, water, biodiversity, and human responsibility towards the whole creation.Biblical Text:“Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. […] Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezek 47:9,12)SYMBOLThe symbol for 2026 – Immersion in Living Water – is a symbol of renewal and birth: water flowing from the Temple as a sign of God’s caring and healing for us. We are called to step into the water, until we are so deep that we must depend on God’s grace to sustain us. Those who receive this water are invited to become sources of life for others, allowing God’s love to flow through them into the world. And thus the water of God will become in us “a spring of water welling up to eternal life”, as Jesus promised (John 4:14).This symbol invites Christians to a spiritual immersion – praying together while contemplating water from rivers, sources, fountains, baptismal fonts, lakes and sea, inspired by the Spirit of God, working together for the renewal of Creation. It also urges us to dive into the “tears” of creation (Romans 8:22-23), by allowing our hearts to be touched by the suffering of our brothers and sisters. The Season of Creation is also an appropriate time for solidarity with the vulnerable and the poor, chiefly those who suffer from environmental degradation. We can learn from their stories, from their resilience, from their commitment, and together keep hope alive.The current Water CrisisEzekiel’s vision stands in sharp contrast to the reality of the water crisis we face. According to the United Nations, 1.7 billion people lack basic hygiene services at home, and 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water – that is 1 in 4 people on the globe!As climate change intensifies, and groundwater extraction increases, several countries are now reaching a so-called “point of water bankruptcy”, that is a condition marked by irreversible losses of natural water capital.Although access to drinking water is a human right for all, the multifaceted water crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, future generations, and non-human life that has no voice in political or economic systems. These are some of the many challenges:• Water becomes unaffordable for the poor.• Impact on health of water borne diseases.• Impact of industrial discharge of chemicals and other pollutants into rivers.• Increasing water consumption fueled by the data centres and energy production required by our digital activities, including for use of artificial intelligence.• Poor governance and corruption by companies and governments.• Impact on food security of droughts, floods, storms and desertification.• Salination of the soil due to sea level rise or overexploitation of aquifers.• Violence over competition over scarce water supplies.These many issues are leading to migration, pushing people into exile, with loss of homes and culture.
AN INVITATIONThe Ecumenical Steering Committee of the Season of Creation invites you to the online ecumenical Prayer Service on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation September 1st at 9:00 AM New York. The Prayer Service celebrates the beginning of the Season of Creation with faith leaders worldwide. You can register here.
Pope Leo has written a message for the Season of Creation. Click on this link to download it. 2026 Message for Season of Creation. The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo will lead by example and preside over a liturgical celebration of Creation Day with the new Mass. It will take place at the Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo next Tuesday, September 1. This is a great inspiration and model for everyone to follow.
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