Today, the Passionist Family began our celebration of the Tiempo de la Creación, which runs from September 1, 2026, through October 4, 2026, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
This year’s theme, “Living Water,” explores Ezekiel 47:9 and 12 as a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological healing. Set amidst exile and loss, the image of living water flowing from God’s sanctuary reveals a vision of hope that still speaks to our experiences today and invites our participation.
Many people in our world today have experienced or are experiencing severe drought with a significant shortage of water.
I live 35 miles north of the city of Denver, Colorado, and many of our counties have water usage restrictions. The drought has been so severe many farmers have not been able to plant their crops because of the lack of water. We also did not have a normal amount of snowfall in the mountains for the winter of 2025-26, a major source for our drinking water. [Learn more from The Colorado Climate Center]
The light colored area in the photo below shows how much the water level of the Colorado River has dropped in recent years.
Where will it be next year?
We have to be most careful with our use of water because the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Metropolitan Denver, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City (forty million people) all depend upon the Colorado River for their water. This includes 150 threatened species that depend on the river for their survival, and the 70% of native fish species in the basin which are found nowhere else on Earth.
The prediction is that the Colorado River could experience a 31% reduction in water by mid-century without significant conservation.
The Nature Conservancy: “Colorado River Basin”
There is something all of us can do to protect God’s life-giving gift of water.
We can say that it is an important moral imperative for all of us to use methods of water conservation. I chose that I would conserve water and I would start now. I chose to start with showering, something I could control.
I found out that the average shower lasts 8 minutes and uses about 2.1 gallons of water per minute, for a total of 16.8 gallons. Conservation experts recommend aiming for 5-minute showers.
At the same flow rate, a 5-minute shower uses 10.5 gallons, saving 6.3 gallons each time, along with the energy needed to heat the water. Five-minute showers save 6.3 gallons per shower over 8-minute showers. That is 44.1 gallons per week and 2,293.2 gallons per year.
In terms of drinking water, that is enough hydration to meet the recommended daily intake for one person for over 12 years (at 64 ounces per day) [greenamerica.org].
I am doing five-minute showers.
What is the Season of Creation calling you to do?
Read more from Carl’s series Formar la conciencia en tiempos extraordinarios.
