You are Earth
By Alice Matisz SDG March 1, 2022
“You are earth and unto earth you shall return.”
I recently read the above riff on a familiar Ash Wednesday refrain. It reminded me of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’” which was issued in 2015. Back then I was enthusiastic about its message of ecological conversion but as the years passed I became complacent again. Perhaps this Lent is the time to renew my commitment to the Earth.
What is Laudato Si’?
Papal encyclicals are letters from the pope to all bishops. This one was remarkable because it was addressed to all people, both within, and outside of, the church. It takes its name from the first line of a poem by St. Francis of Assisi who is often considered the patron saint of the environment. St. Francis, and his namesake Pope Francis, began by saying, “Laudato Si’ mi Signore” – Praise be to you my Lord.
The pope’s letter emphasized the need for climate action but went much further by saying it is our Christian duty to protect the earth because all creation is connected together-and-through the one Creator, God. The other notable aspect of Laudato Si’ is its declaration that climate action must take into account the suffering of the world’s poorest. It must never come at the expense of their well-being. This demand takes on new urgency as we hear this week that 3.3 billion people are “highly vulnerable” to the impact of climate emergencies.
What can(‘t) we do?
Since the need is so great, almost any action we can conceive of will be helpful. So let us do, not one or two things, but twenty! Maybe we can reduce our consumption. Maybe we can refuse plastic and replace it with reusable objects. Perhaps we can eat much less meat and less fish too, choosing to explore tasty vegetarian meals instead. Advocacy and fundraising for climate charities would be most welcome, as would any and all donations to disaster stricken locales. The link below offers an entire calendar of ideas for each day of Lent.
https://sistersofcharityfederation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/LIVING-A-LAUDATO-SI-LENT-CALENDAR-2017.pdf
If you’re already doing much, just add this little bit more… a sense of solidarity with the poor. Remember all the times that Jesus first listened and empathized before he healed? Jesus understood that effective and enduring action begins with relationship. So we could spend some time contemplating what that connection means to us.
What comes next?
So often our fervent Lenten resolutions go up in the smoke of the Pascal Candle. We sigh with relief and relax into everyday indulgence and excess. What did Jesus do though, after his 40 days in the desert? The Bible says he plunged into ministry; “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’.” (Matthew 4:17)
Fellow Christians, let us do as Christ did. Let us start new habits this Lent and continue them well into the future. Let us raise our voices and our prayers in defense of Mother Earth, and let us do it all in praise of our Magnificent Creator, crying with one voice, “Laudato si’ mi Signore!”
I recently read the above riff on a familiar Ash Wednesday refrain. It reminded me of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’” which was issued in 2015. Back then I was enthusiastic about its message of ecological conversion but as the years passed I became complacent again. Perhaps this Lent is the time to renew my commitment to the Earth.
What is Laudato Si’?
Papal encyclicals are letters from the pope to all bishops. This one was remarkable because it was addressed to all people, both within, and outside of, the church. It takes its name from the first line of a poem by St. Francis of Assisi who is often considered the patron saint of the environment. St. Francis, and his namesake Pope Francis, began by saying, “Laudato Si’ mi Signore” – Praise be to you my Lord.
The pope’s letter emphasized the need for climate action but went much further by saying it is our Christian duty to protect the earth because all creation is connected together-and-through the one Creator, God. The other notable aspect of Laudato Si’ is its declaration that climate action must take into account the suffering of the world’s poorest. It must never come at the expense of their well-being. This demand takes on new urgency as we hear this week that 3.3 billion people are “highly vulnerable” to the impact of climate emergencies.
What can(‘t) we do?
Since the need is so great, almost any action we can conceive of will be helpful. So let us do, not one or two things, but twenty! Maybe we can reduce our consumption. Maybe we can refuse plastic and replace it with reusable objects. Perhaps we can eat much less meat and less fish too, choosing to explore tasty vegetarian meals instead. Advocacy and fundraising for climate charities would be most welcome, as would any and all donations to disaster stricken locales. The link below offers an entire calendar of ideas for each day of Lent.
https://sistersofcharityfederation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/LIVING-A-LAUDATO-SI-LENT-CALENDAR-2017.pdf
If you’re already doing much, just add this little bit more… a sense of solidarity with the poor. Remember all the times that Jesus first listened and empathized before he healed? Jesus understood that effective and enduring action begins with relationship. So we could spend some time contemplating what that connection means to us.
What comes next?
So often our fervent Lenten resolutions go up in the smoke of the Pascal Candle. We sigh with relief and relax into everyday indulgence and excess. What did Jesus do though, after his 40 days in the desert? The Bible says he plunged into ministry; “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’.” (Matthew 4:17)
Fellow Christians, let us do as Christ did. Let us start new habits this Lent and continue them well into the future. Let us raise our voices and our prayers in defense of Mother Earth, and let us do it all in praise of our Magnificent Creator, crying with one voice, “Laudato si’ mi Signore!”