In the beginning …

Of course, we have not always gotten this right. For example, in the first creation story in Genesis, God blesses humanity, saying, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” (1:28) Humanity has taken this command to heart. Unfortunately, the results have not always been good for creation.

When our relationship to creation is informed by an attitude of subjugation and domination, the notion of dominion can deteriorate into a mentality that we are not a part of nature but a transcendent species with no responsibilities to the natural world. The result of such a mindset is the objectification and commodification of the Earth and all other living creatures, which is evident in excessive pollution from fossil fuels used in industry and transportation, unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation and the destruction of natural habitat, overfishing, overconsumption and waste, to name some of the challenges we face. Needless to say, we must dig deeper if we are to understand this command.

Let there be …

The same creation story describes how God brings each new creature into existence: “Let there be …” For example, “Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good.” God creates, and then affirms the goodness of what he has made, a pattern that repeats as the totality of his creative work unfolds. The poetic repetition in the creation story bears witness to a central truth that ought to inform our own attitude toward all creation: God sees every bit of his creation as good and worth sustaining in existence. We, too, are called to delight in the goodness of each creature, and to work to protect their existence.

The counterbalance

This, of course, requires intentional effort on our part. In the second story of creation in Genesis, God is said to have taken humanity and settled it in the garden of Eden to “cultivate and care for it.” (2:15) Here, humanity is not charged with subduing the Earth and exercising dominion over it (as we saw in Genesis 1:28), but with stewardship.

While subduing and exercising dominion have often been interpreted as meaning that creation exists solely for humanity’s benefit, stewardship indicates a responsibility of humanity for creation. Cultivating and caring means creating the conditions in which something can grow. This means listening to the needs of creation and attending to these needs, because one sees that they are good.

Bringing it all together

For human life to exist and thrive, certain things such as food, shelter and energy are a necessity. We must look to the Earth to supply these needs, and this requires us to subdue and exercise dominion over the Earth and all created things. Yet, unless we exercise our dominion over the created order following God’s own benevolent care for his creation, we will ultimately harm this Earth and jeopardize our own wellbeing. There can be no integral human flourishing without a robust commitment to care for our common home.

We are not independent of the created order. Our impact on the created order is very real and consequential. The Catholic Social Teaching principle of care for creation teaches that we must provide for human needs using the things of the earth in a way that also upholds and protects the goodness of all creation. Authentic care for creation, therefore, involves everyone and calls for social justice, concern for the poor and protection of the environment for present and future generations.

A prayer for our earth, from Laudato Si’

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

Did you know?

On June 8, 2025, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments at the Vatican approved a formulary for the Mass for the Care of Creation. This new set of prayers will be added to the Roman Missal (in the section for Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions) for Catholic priests to use in celebrating Mass in the Roman Rite. When official vernacular translations (English, Spanish, etc.,) become available, parish priests may begin to celebrate this Mass to help form and deepen their community’s awareness of this important aspect of our faith.