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INTENTION : |
That people may learn to respect creation and care for it as a gift of God.
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It is no surprise that Pope Francis has chosen this theme to launch the intentions for this year. In various audiences and homilies, he has drawn our attention to the precarious state of our environment and has urged us to take seriously our role as stewards of God's creation.
We are all familiar with different aspects of the ecological crisis. A cursory glance at news items will reveal the ever-growing danger posed by this crisis. Those interested in further information have a variety of sources from which to choose. One such reliable source is the Living Planet Report published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The Holy Father has presented this intention to us. What can we concretely do about this? Well, in the first place, we join our voices in prayer, knowing that there is great power in intercessory prayer. We pray for all the people, animals and plants who suffer due to environmental degradation. We pray for those who risk their lives to protect creation. In addition, we pray that we ourselves may grow in respect and love for creation.
At the level of our personal lives, we can strive to be more careful in our use of energy, water, food, etc. We can make small lifestyle changes that go a long way towards healing the earth. You could look up websites that offer practical suggestions on how to do this. (Eg. http://www.actioncarbone.org/index.php/en/reduce/55.
It would also be a good idea to join a local environmental group and participate in their activities. There are a number of voluntary organizations already working for the conservation of nature. We can learn a lot by being part of this network.
Above all, we could build up a close, personal bond with creation, allowing her to speak to us and reveal herself to us. This bond can be cultivated by finding the time and the space in which to be alone with nature. It is in settings such as these that we will encounter the glory of God vibrating in all of creation. It is in quiet moments such as these that we will perceive more clearly that creation is a gift from God that deserves our deepest love and appreciation.
Today, the Lord is calling us to review our attitudes towards creation. We are called upon to re-discover the beauty and sanctity of creation and work for its restoration. Let us come together, in prayer and in action, to restore the right relationship between humans and creation.
Luke Rodrigues, SJ
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