Like indigenous peoples in every country, our ancestors, the Celts, had a great respect for the Earth and for Creation which led them to have great love and admiration for the Creator God. That sense of compassion comes through in the prayers, hymns and writings of the Early Christian period.
One of the great advances in recent years in the field of theology, spirituality and in the teaching of the Church is the re-discovery that Planet Earth is Sacred and that we are all called to respect and care for the Earth and the environment. We are inter-connected. The Earth depends on us and we depend on the Earth.
Thanks to the late Pope Francis we now have a much better understanding of our responsibility for the environment regarding the use of plastic and the use of fossil fuels. There is an urgent need to protect bio-diversity. Pope Francis states in Laudato Si’:“It cannot be emphasised enough how everything is interconnected…When we speak of the environment, what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves…We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it. Recognising why a given area is polluted requires a study of the workings of society, its economy, its behaviour patterns and the ways it grasps reality.” (LS 138-9).
Thanks to the research of priests like Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Berry and scientists like Carl Sagan, writers like Mike Berners-Lee and programme makers like David Attenborough, many people are better informed about the perilous state of the world we live in and the responsibilities we share for protecting all living species. We have been made more aware of the threat to all life on Planet Earth.
Scientists, theologians and environmental activists have all contributed to the greater understanding of our inter-dependence and connection. We humans cannot be separated from the rest of Creation. We had been separated over the last 200 years by false theology and the distortion of Christianity. Not to mention the advance of capitalism and the exploitation of the environment.
That distorted approach created divisions in societies where it is ‘every man for himself’ and where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In the past our theology saw ‘things of the earth’ as ‘bad’ and emphasised that our true home was in heaven. Whereas, today our theology has evolved and teaches us that all of God’s creation is sacred, that the Kingdom of God is ‘here’ as well as ‘there’. Pope Francis puts this beautifully in Laudato Si’ when he says, ‘Soil, water, mountains, everything is a caress of God.’(LS, 84)
As a result of the new awareness of our connectedness some are now more aware of the threat to the planet Earth from over -consumption, industrial/intensive farming, mining, fossil fuels and climate change. This threat should be of concern to us all. Sadly, there is still much indifference and denial about the issue of climate change. Some are more aware of our duty to others who are different and we are more aware of the need for compassion. These people are crying out for change. If governments fail to act as a result of this awareness the future of our world is bleak.
In his letter, Laudato Si’, Pope Francis asks, ‘What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” (LS,160)
We are all in this together. It is a challenge for communities everywhere. It is a special challenge for Faith communities who are called to protect all of Life and to care for all of Creation.
Our eyes have been opened to a Truth long hidden that we humans are part of Creation, we are Nature. That understanding of Life changes everything; nothing can ever be the same again.
We must thank Pope Francis for his amazing contribution to the new awareness contained in Laudato Si’. He has challenged the Nations of the world to act before it is too late to save our planet from destruction. He has called on all people of good will to do whatever we can to protect God’s creation for future generations.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. Pope Francis was right to remind us we live here on earth, and as indigenous peoples here say, the other creatures here are our relations. We are connected.