Irresponsible!

Not too far into his encyclical, Pope Francis reminds us of Pope Benedict’s request:

Pope Benedict asked us to recognize that the natural environment has been gravely damaged by our irresponsible behavior (my emphasis). The social environment has also suffered damage. Both are ultimately due to the same evil: the notion that there are no indisputable truths to guide our lives, and hence human freedom is limitless. 

We have forgotten that “man is not only a freedom which he creates for himself. Man does not create himself. He is spirit and will, but also nature.” 

With paternal concern, Benedict urged us to realize that creation is harmed “where we ourselves have the final word, where everything is simply our property and we use it for ourselves alone. The misuse of creation begins when we no longer recognize any higher instance than ourselves, when we see nothing else but ourselves.”

We often chide our children for their irresponsible behavior, such as bullying.  Perhaps it’s time for them to chide us for being irresponsible by our serious misuse of creation that we bully into submission by careless and harmful exploitation.

Our earth sustains us in every way, yet we forget our Mother is not for us alone.   There are many children yet to be born.   We must look beyond ourselves, according to Benedict and Francis.   And, according to God.

Deacon David Pierce