Reverence for the Earth

When a journalist asked the late Cardinal Hume what he considered to be the most important task facing the Church today, he answered, “To help the planet.”  His insightful answer is even more pertinent today as our awareness of the on-going destruction of our world increases.  Daily reports on climate changes, rising oceans, razing of rainforests spell a bleak future as the unbridled abuse of the planet continues.

‘I thought it would be my last time - The sense that, beyond the town, There would always be fields and farms, Where village louts could climb Such trees as were not cut down...’

Philip Larkin’s* poem, Going Going, written for the Department of Environment in the early 70s, captures the sense of loss many people feel today as the erosion of the landscape continues.

‘Despite all the land left free  For the first time I feel somehow That it isn’t going to last...’

A market view of the universe, where it gives and we take and take, is not uncommon in society today.  How far is this from the sense of wonder and delight in creation we find in the scriptures.  Wisdom exults as God creates - ‘Then I was at his side each day, his darling and delight, playing in his presence continually, playing over his whole world, while my delight was in mankind’ (Prov 8:30).  That joy in creation echoes right through the psalms.  The sun, for instance, ‘... which comes out like a bridegroom from his bridal chamber, rejoicing like a strong man to run his course’ (Ps 19:5).  The clouds became ‘Your chariot, riding on the wings of the wind...’ (Ps 104:3).  How can we forget that God, on the sixth day, ..saw all that he had made, and it was very good...’ (Gen 1:31).

When we lose that sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of our universe our soul withers and we go on mindlessly consuming creation one way or another.  To move from this exploitive approach to one of reverence, we must awaken to the mystery in which we are all rooted.  If we don’t, we will feel, as one writer puts it, ‘a deep sense of cosmic homelessness which alienates us not only from a  vibrant universe but also from our inner being, our true selves.’

Creation is the first revelation  of God and the prime source of our spiritual life.  God is delighted when we delight in His works and, like Jesus, ‘Consider the lilies of the field, the birds of the air...’  The Talmud says that on Judgement Day we will be called into account for all the beautiful things we should have noticed but didn’t.  This love, this joy is expressed most concretely when we really care for our environment with praise and thanksgiving and when we make those costly decision that will most certainly cut across our comfort.

Caring for the earth, for our planet, is a profound spiritual practice, when, as good stewards we celebrate and reverence, and do battle for, the heritage given to us by a loving God.  Cardinal Hume got it right; will we?

Sister Redempta Twomey is a Columban Sister living in Ireland.

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