By Jao Resari, Columban Lay Missionary, Taiwan
I painted Into the Abyss a few years ago, inspired by an image of a woman swimming into the sea’s depths, surrounded by darkness. I portrayed her as radiating light from within, conveying peace and harmony with the sea. Growing up, I found the sea both intimidating and mysterious. Yet over time, I came to appreciate it as an extraordinary gift from God that sustains all life on Earth. Looking back, perhaps that sense of mystery was already inviting me to see water as a sacred sign through which God quietly reveals the beauty, fragility, and interconnectedness of all life.
This September, we celebrate the Season of Creation with the theme “Living Water.” This theme is inspired by Ezekiel’s vision of a river flowing from the Temple, bringing life wherever it reaches: “Wherever the river flows, every living creature that swarms will live… Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing” (Ez 47:9, 12). This reminds us that God’s life-giving presence renews all creation and calls us to become instruments of healing for our wounded world.
Yet today, this precious gift continues to face mounting threats. Rivers and oceans are polluted, wetlands are disappearing, and millions of people still struggle to access clean, safe water. The degradation of water is not only an environmental crisis; it is also a spiritual one. When we fail to protect water, we fail to safeguard the gift of life God has entrusted to our care, and the lives of all creatures that depend on it, both now and for generations to come.
In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminded us that “everything is connected” (LS 91). We are called to recognise not only our profound interconnectedness with all creation but also the sacredness of every creature and every ecosystem. By slowing down, listening, and rediscovering our intimate relationship with the waters that sustain every living being, we are reminded that we are not masters or owners of creation, but stewards and fellow creatures, called to care for our one common home with gratitude and love.
The abyss is often seen as a place of darkness, emptiness, uncertainty, and fear. Yet, through the eyes of faith, it can also become a place of wonder and encounter with God. Like the river in Ezekiel’s vision, God’s grace reaches every part of creation, bringing healing and sustaining all life. Reflecting on my painting now, I see the abyss not as a sign of God’s absence but as a sign of the immeasurable depth and fullness of God’s love, a love that flows like living water, drawing us into deeper communion with God, with one another, and with all creation.
As we celebrate the Season of Creation, may the Holy Spirit guide us, transforming our prayer into loving action, our gratitude into responsible stewardship, and our commitment to faithfully care for all of God’s creation.
Image: Into the Abyss, oil on canvas by Jao Resari
