Our living and life-giving planet

By Sr. Clarice Garvey, O.L.M.
May/June 2011

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The bishops of Brazil have chosen “Care for our Planet: our Earth, our Rivers and our Forests” as the theme for our national Lenten reflections this year. It is a hopeful sign that our church leaders have taken a stand to remind us of our responsibility to care for the garden God has given us for our home.

As I write, millions of people are watching the disaster in Japan. Never before in the history of the world has such incredible suffering been brought so close and so quickly. We saw and heard the Earth groaning. We saw and heard the fear of people running to flee crumbling concrete and raging waters. We watched cars being carried by strong currents, boats crashing against concrete bridges. And the world sits on edge as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor threatens a meltdown. We who have seen and heard these groans are called to accept our responsibility to the Earth, our home.

Some years ago we were reminded in the Earth Charter, a declaration by Leonardo Boff and many other theologians and scientists, that we are at a critical time in the history of the Universe. They brought to our attention that nature as well as humanity has rights. Care for the Earth means to hear St. Paul’s words in his letter to the Romans that the Earth is groaning.

When huge factories spit out their poisonous waste, creation is being desecrated. When large acreages of land are owned by a handful of people who have no need of it and millions of landless farmers go hungry, the Earth is denied her full dignity. When land is used continually without time to rest, the land suffers.

We are called to see our planet, and every living species, as sacred creation. This is a call to care for the Earth and all life. It is a challenge and an opportunity for all of us to leave behind our wants and to open ourselves as wide as the sky and feel the breath of our Creator bringing us to new life as it was brought to Eve and Adam. Do we dare to long for that Spirit of life? Do we dare to waste the chance?

If we look back at the beauty of our autumn leaves, hear the sound of a family of robins singing, listen to the laughter of little children at play, can we risk denying ourselves that beauty? Blest are those who see our planet as living and life-giving.

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