# Remembering Humility: Walking in Praise with Pope Francis
*2015-10-18*

> Bill Young reflects on Pope Francis’ call to put God at the center of our lives, especially in caring for creation, and prays for families and the new saints canonized on the feast of St. Luke.

## Feast of St. Luke and New Saints

Good morning, this is Bill Young. Today is Sunday, October 18th, the feast day of St. Luke the Evangelist. Pope Francis also canonized four new saints in Rome, including the mother and father of St. Teresa of Calcutta, whom we affectionately call “the little flower.” We give thanks for these holy models of parenthood and pray that their example strengthens families, especially those raising Christian children.

## Walking in Praise with Pope Francis

We continue our series “Walking in Praise” with Pope Francis’ encyclical *Laudato Si’* (On Care for Our Common Home). In today’s reflection, “Day 21: Remembering Humility,” the Pope reminds us that we are not the masters of the universe—God is. He warns that our individualism has displaced our need for God, leading us to treat the earth and its gifts as mere conveniences rather than shared blessings. This misplaced value system is what we must correct for future generations.

## Putting God at the Center

Pope Francis urges us to make God the center of our lives. When we do, we naturally begin to recognize and love all our brothers and sisters, and we treat creation with the respect it deserves. This is the foundation for a true ecological conversion.

## Ponder and Prayer

Ponder: How central is God in my life? How can I improve my relationship with Him?

Prayer: “God of creation, it is so easy for me to think I am in charge, that one small failing won’t affect much. Help me to realize that everything I do has an impact, for good or ill, and to place you at the center of my life.”

*When we put God first, we learn humility and become better stewards of the earth and each other.*