I saw Ilia Delio’s book, “Care for Creation,” earlier today and it reminded me how important caring for our common home is. A conversation I had earlier this week led me to look at the teachings of the Episcopal Church and The Society of St. Francis which in turn led me to the Franciscan Action Network and this page on the care for creation. There are some folks who think that FAN is too progressive. I wonder what these folks would have thought about that carpenter from Nazareth who said we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. That’s crazy talk isn’t it. Many of his contemporaries thought St. Francis was crazy too. He loved lepers and in them saw the face of Christ. I’m sure the legalists of his day wanted him and his followers to quit living in mud huts and caring for the lepers and indigents around Assisi. Life can be messy and it looks like it’s going to get real messy with this Coronavirus on the loose. We didn’t join hands at the sign of peace today during liturgy and there was no passing of the communion cup. I read where some churches have removed the holy water fonts to stem the spread of disease. Creation is in need of a lot of care as are our sisters and brothers who’ve been exposed to this new virus. One thing is for sure regardless of what you believe is that life is very uncertain and it’s getting even more uncertain no matter what you do.
Source: Care for Creation – Franciscan Action Network
Prayers for Oklahoma
Tonight as I read the news on the Internet via @Twitter and Google I was struck by the ferocity of the storms in Oklahoma and elsewhere in the heartland of the United States. It must be terrifying to be in the path of one of these great storms and not be able to do anything but pray. I prayed as I read the news and sent positive vibrations that way. There are some among us who deny that the climate is changing. I wondered how can anyone not see change as forecasters predicted grapefruit sized hail would be pelting Oklahoma. What terrible chain of events have we set in motion by our wanton disregard for the planet we call home. St. Francis saw all creation as brother and sister in much the same manner as the indigenous people who once called Oklahoma home. What will it take for us once again to put creation and our Mother Earth first in our thinking? I hope it is not too late to bring some care to our environment.
Creation has an intrinsic order. The following quote is taken from a document from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The created universe is the fruit of the love of God, which has produced human beings in his image who can recognize the intelligent ordering of creation. Because of their privileged position in creation, human beings must recognize their responsibility to be guardians of this creation, and to ensure the proper balance of the ecosystems they depend on.
Let us pray for Oklahoma and the earth that we call home. Let us pray that we become better stewards of the ecosystem that’s been entrusted to us.