Mother Earth

Being interested in whatever popes have to say, I have looked forward to reading Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si.  Few of us actually will read the encyclical he and his advisors have given us.  We should. 

This week I’ll highlight some of his points, and the first is as sharp as a needle.  It hurts.  He tries to puncture our collective passiveness and preoccupation with pursuit of pleasure and comfort.   For us on Cape Cod, his encyclical is a reminder that we live in paradise in contrast to many other parts of the world where people have little except sadness and hurt. 

Let’s consider the Pope’s introduction:
1.    “LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord.”  In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.”

2.    This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.

Pope Francis hits hard and highlights our violence and sin against the earth’s land, water, and air.   We all contribute to that violence and sin through our consumerism and indifference.  

Feminine pronouns are used, and that makes sense.  Our bodies are “made up of her elements, we breathe her air, and receive life and refreshment from her waters.”   Yes, she is Mother Earth, and we live in her womb.  Yet, we make her sick.   This is our Pope's diagnosis.

Deacon David Pierce