Stop The Crying

September 1 was World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.  “Catholic Social Teaching Care for Creation” is a short film narrated by Cardinal Peter Turkson, Father James Martin, and Dr. Carolyn Woo.  I encourage you to google “CST 101 Care for Creation.”  It’s a fitting video and message tied to Pope Francis’ “Encyclical on Climate Change and Inequality: On Care for our Common Home.” 

Known as Laudato Si, or “Praise be to you,” we are reminded of St. Francis’ words in his beautiful canticle: “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.”  As the Pope says, “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…”

Some may say and clearly have said, “Let her cry.  She’ll get over it.”  But will our children and grandchildren when they witness what our collective excesses have caused – irreversible damage to our planet and Mother.  We can deny that climate change is happening at our peril…at our peril.  Today we see many effects of this change. 

Imagining the environmental landscape 25 or 50 years from now should give us a fright, unless of course we only live for today and for ourselves.   Let’s hope Pope Francis’ call to action does indeed lead to true care for our common home and the sacrifices needed to ensure that care.

Deacon David Pierce