THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Ploughing seeds in Offaly for a creation of peace and hope

RECENTLY I had the privilege of attending the National Ploughing Championships in my home county of Offaly, where I represented Self Help Africa, the charity I work with.

It was a joy to be part of the Global Solidarity Tent, supported by Irish Aid and launched by Minister Neale Richmond, alongside five other inspiring Irish charities—GOAL, Trócaire, Sightsavers, Brighter Communities, and the umbrella body for international NGOs, Dóchas.

As I walked among the crowds and watched the fields turned by the plough, I was struck by how fitting it was to be there during the Season of Creation. This is a time in the Church’s year when we are invited to give thanks for the gift of the earth and to renew our commitment to care for our common home.

The Ploughing is, in its own way, a celebration of creation, of soil and seed, of harvest and hard work, of the deep connection between people and the land that sustains us. As the psalmist reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). In the Global Solidarity Tent, I was reminded that this connection stretches far beyond Offaly or Ireland. Our brothers and sisters across the world depend on the same earth, the same rains, the same harvests. For many, climate change, drought, conflict, war, thirst and hunger are daily realities. Standing together in solidarity, we are called not just to enjoy creation, but to protect it, and to ensure that its gifts are shared fairly and justly. As St. Paul wrote, “The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable… if one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:22, 26).

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Ploughing as a spiritual parable

The Ploughing Championship is a festival of skill, tradition, and community but is also, at a deeper level, a parable for our lives. To plough is never just about turning soil. It is an act of trust, patience, and prayer. Each furrow cut is hope made visible. It proclaims faith that unseen seeds will one day yield food, life, and blessing. Spiritually, ploughing mirrors what God asks of us,to allow the soil of our hearts to be broken open, to let hardness and indifference be turned over, and to make space for new growth. What furrows must God plough in us so that justice, compassion, charity and peace may take root? At the same time, Christians across the globe mark the Season of Creation which began on September 1st and continues until October 4th, an ecumenical time of thanksgiving, lament, and conversion. This year’s theme, Peace with Creation, draws from Isaiah’s vision: “My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Isaiah 32:18). This vision is both a promise and a challenge. It reminds us that peace is not possible without justice, peace with God, with neighbours, and with the soil beneath our feet.

Creation’s song and groaning

The psalmist proclaims: “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6). St. Francis of Assisi heard creation’s song clearly, calling the sun and moon, fire and water, his brothers and sisters. All creation is part of the great hymn of praise to God. And yet, creation also groans. St. Paul writes: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now” (Romans 8:22). Forests fall, rivers are poisoned, species disappear, and with them, voices in creation’s hymn fall silent. The cry of the earth is inseparable from the cry of the poor, as Pope Francis reminded us in Laudato Si’. To harm creation is to harm humanity, especially the vulnerable who suffer most from droughts, floods, wars, conflicts, displacement, and famine.

The plough as teacher of justice

Farmers know the soil cannot be endlessly stripped. It must be nourished, rested, and respected. The plough teaches us that abundance flows from care, not exploitation. Spiritually, it teaches that we reap what we sow. “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow” (Galatians 6:7). What seeds are we sowing? Seeds of greed, waste, and indifference or seeds of justice, generosity, and hope? To plough in faith is to commit ourselves to preparing the ground for future generations. It asks us to consider what habits must be relinquished, what new ways of living we must cultivate.

Peace with creation: Justice and integral ecology

Peace with creation is not sentimental; it is profoundly demanding. The biblical idea of shalom/peace means harmony and wholeness, always tied to justice. Laudato Si’ is clear: “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (LS 217). Integral ecology recognises that everything is connected such as the health of ecosystems, the dignity of the poor, and the call to worship. Injustice towards the earth always brings injustice to people. Consider how the smallest nations, with the least responsibility for climate change, bear its heaviest burdens. Debt cancellation, sustainable farming, renewable energy, and reforestation are not just policy issues. They are acts of faith, expressions of justice, steps toward peace with creation.

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Hope, conversion, and courage

Hope is not naïve optimism. It is rooted in God’s promises. Isaiah envisions deserts blooming: “The wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy” (Isaiah 35:1-2). St. Paul declares that “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). But hope requires conversion. Pope Francis wrote that true ecological conversion moves us “from consumption to sacrifice, from greed to generosity, from wastefulness to a spirit of sharing” (LS 9). Like the dishonest manager in Jesus’ parable, we must act urgently and decisively (Luke 16:1–13). Time is short, but the Spirit of God still breathes over creation, inviting us to live differently. Conversion is not only personal but communal. It calls churches, families, and societies to reshape how we eat, travel, consume, and share. It asks us to notice what is missing, to listen to creation’s groaning, and to act in reverence and love.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, let the plough guide your journey of discipleship:- Notice: Take time to notice creation around you such as listen to birdsongs, watch a sunrise, or walk gently on the soil. Plant: Sow a literal or symbolic seed of hope, whether planting a tree or beginning a habit of care. Reduce: Choose one way to reduce waste or live more sustainably such as buy local, avoid excess, or repair instead of replace. Share: Tell someone why creation matters to your faith. Share the vision of peace with creation. The Ploughing Championships held recently in my home county of Offaly reminded me that abundance is born from care and patience. The Season of Creation reminds me that peace is born from justice and love. Together, they call us to plough with faith, sow with justice, and reap with joy so that all creation may flourish, and “everything that breathes may praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

This Season of Creation, may we open our hearts in gratitude for the land beneath our feet, and in prayer for those who struggle to cultivate theirs. May we be moved to act with compassion and courage, so that future generations may also rejoice in the harvest of the earth.

As the psalmist prays, “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us” (Psalm 67:5–6).

Let me leave you with one of my prayers for creation, "Creator God, You are the source of every harvest, the giver of every breath, the wellspring of all life. You shaped the soil with your hands, and called forth fruitfulness from the earth. You made us stewards of your creation, not owners, but caretakers of a holy gift. Forgive us when we see the earth as a possession to be exploited, when our hearts grow hard to the cries of creation and the poor. Break the furrows of our indifference, Lord, and plant in us new seeds of justice, tenderness, and hope. Bless all who work the land such as farmers who rise early, who wait in faith for rain and sun, who know both the joy of the harvest and the burden of uncertainty. Bless those whose land is parched, whose fields are bare, whose daily bread is threatened by drought, flood, war or storm. Bless the children who go to bed hungry, and the mothers and fathers who carry the weight of their suffering. Stir the hearts of leaders and decision-makers. Give them courage to place people before profit, to protect the fragile earth before it is too late, to choose the way of life, peace, and fairness. Call each of us, Lord, to live more simply, to consume less and share more, to walk gently on the earth and love generously with our lives. May we discover the joy that comes not from abundance, but from gratitude. Let the rivers rejoice, let the forests sing, let the soil yield its fruit in due season. And let all creation join in a hymn of praise to you, the Lord of the harvest, now and forever. Amen."