Today is Earth Day. It’s been quite a while since I have revisted our commitments to Laudato Si, and this seems to be a good day to do so.
It’s been over a year since we sent in our Province Report to Rome, but the work continues.
In 2022, I sat in the back of the room taking notes while watching our community make a shared commitment to the goals of Laudato Si with an energy and fire that was nothing but inspirational, and I continued to be inspired when people all over the province shared their action plans.
However, I have also witnessed the challenges to the commitment many times since. The very real problems of resources, cost, convenience, recent public policies, inertia and many more obstacles continue to present themselves as stumbling blocks to prevent us from moving forward in the care of our common home.
Sometimes, it seems more of an uphill battle than ever, while the need only grows, and the earth cries for our attention.
As I wrote the word “stumbling block,” I was reminded of a scripture class many years ago. The professor played on the words used in Matthew 16 where Jesus calls Peter the rock on which to build the church and then the stumbling block to that church.
I can’t recall the exact Greek / Aramaic / Hebrew play he used (forgive me, scripture scholars!), but he referenced Charlie Brown, suggesting maybe we can interpret this by the way of the Peanuts characters. “Peter, you are a blockhead! But we’re still building the Church on this blockhead…”
Monsignor was joking, of course, but that stayed with me as I consider that we are called and chosen for who we are as children of God in all our totality, with all our stumbling blocks.
Maybe today, we can reflect on how Laudato Si’ has influenced us and pray for what is being asked of us now, personally and as a collective.
And, on this 56th Earth Day, may we spend some time praying in gratitude for the beauty of the earth and consider, as Thomas Berry would say, “how we can be present to the planet in a mutually beneficial manner.”
As for me, I will go into the garden at the monastery here, under the century old blooming cherry blossoms, and reflect on what I heard Fr. Victor Hoagland, CP, state only about 20 minutes ago:
“If we lose our appreciation for creation, we lose our appreciation for God.”
The Seven Laudato Si’ Goals
Response to the Cry of the Earth
A call to protect our common home for the well-being of all, addressing the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and ecological sustainability through renewable energy, carbon neutrality, and biodiversity protection.
Response to the Cry of the Poor
A call to defend human life from conception to death and all forms of life on Earth, acknowledging that the most vulnerable suffer most from ecological degradation.
Ecological Economics
Recognizing that the economy is a subsystem of human society, which in turn is a subsystem of the biosphere. It focuses on ethical investments, sustainable production, and protecting worker dignity.
Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles
Fostering intentional choices regarding resource use, energy consumption, and waste reduction (e.g., reducing, reusing, recycling, and adopting plant-based diets).
Ecological Education
Promoting educational reforms to create an “ecological conversion,” fostering awareness of our connection to nature, and re-evaluating our philosophical and theological approaches to the environment.
Ecological Spirituality
Developing a spiritual, loving awareness of our home, encouraging a “culture of care” that recognizes God in all creatures.
Community Resilience and Empowerment
Encouraging local, participatory action and advocacy to care for creation within communities and neighborhoods
