LIFE

Because of our belief in a Creator God, we recognise that the very nature of life is sacred. If it is true that humankind is the crown of creation and indeed that we are the very purpose behind all creation – as the mystics teach – then life is holy, a holy mystery. We cannot know the mind and purpose that God has but the gurus seem to say, if I understand correctly, that evolution will continue until all humankind reaches a level of consciousness that knows everything is one. 

I think we all know when we reach the last span of our lives that the ultimate purpose for life might be mystery but it has to be both sacred and holy. We have faith, we trust God and live in hope, despite all the negatives that befall us and surround us.

The unity that we are evolving towards has already begun. The best examples of this development are probably humankind’s concern for the environment, for social justice and the equality of all human beings. All of life is holy and we are actually at the service of life, first and foremost. So learning compassion is a primary concern to couple with service.

From Richard Rohr in an Online Daily meditation headed DISCERNING OUR COMPLICITY

Cardinal Bernardin, a friend and confidant while I was in Cincinnati, was the first to publicly call for a “consistent ethic of life” in the late 1970s. He made it clear that until the church starts being honest and defending all life from beginning to end, it cannot call itself “pro-life.” Otherwise, the very moral principle falls apart. All policies that needlessly destroy life—abortion, war, capital punishment, euthanasia, and the selfish destruction of the earth and its creatures—are all anti-life and against the fifth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”

Kevin Dowling was asked:

 Q: Do you support the provision in the U.S. aid package that promotes abstinence over condom distribution? 

 A: I've taken a strong stand on this, and I've faced criticism from conservatives and Catholic church officials. I've worked with these poor, vulnerable women who are discriminated against in every way. They have very little control over their lives or their bodies in the male-dominated African culture. Many women are forced into prostitution as the only way to get money to buy food to keep their children from starving. They are vulnerable women who need male condoms and female condoms, and whatever protection we can give them to prevent the spread of HIV. Their lives are sacred. To withhold condoms is immoral in my mind. We're not talking about simply a contraceptive. Given the situation, a condom stops the transmission of death for these poor women.

CLIMATE CHANGE

REFLECTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Scripture sheds light on the reality we are experiencing today. The reality of the harm we are doing to our universe.

Despite the rumours of a scam with regard to the source, the cause of climate change – primarily in the form of global warming, the facts and the visuals far outweigh any doubts one would like to muster. The doubts are, in reality, a form of blindsiding, wishful thinking, denial…

Where scripture comes in is the emphasis given to the fact that God finds creation all “good”! The Divine Son confirms that it was for him, and by virtue of our relationship to Jesus Christ, for all humanity that creation came into being.

We cannot exist in our existing human form outside of creation.

The prophets use ‘nature’ to emphasize two important facts: God’s benevolence and God-in-charge. Isaiah especially uses imagery from nature to explain God’s action in the world. We have interpreted scripture in terms of moral behaviour; behaviour primarily towards others and God: relationships! We make this mistake, both now and historically, of not using our responsibility for the earth and all that God found ‘good’ for the greater glory of God. Rather, erroneously interpreting the gift as: for the enrichment of self!

Our error is in thinking that everything belongs to us and the original intention of the Creator was relegated to second place. We got the cart before the horse. Ironic that religion probably came into being and developed because of humanity’s inability to predict nature.

Since the time of Moses and the Decalogue, we can look back and ask: How have we loved the Creator with all our heart and all our souls, which Jesus Christ emphasized?

We effectively slapped God in the face and misused the Name of God. The Name does not simply denote the ‘person’ of God but all that came into being with humanity as the crown! The being of God is in all that God created.

Copenhagen December 2009. At this most important gathering yet, in the history of humanity, around the state of our accountability to creation (i.e. to the Creator), what are the values driving the actions? Seems to me it boils down to only one value behind all the rhetoric: how much will it cost? What will it cost?

That is Mammon responding to what belongs to God.

Even if a miracle occurred and all the major nations involved could agree that they owe it to the equality of life for every living creature, (never mind any possible future generations), what could be done to reverse the crises? What solution could be found that benefited everyone clinging to life today?

We chose a path many moons ago – blindly - and only God has the solution. Who willingly in the New Testament healed the blind? What does that say to us TODAY?

If one thinks of the earth as the womb of humanity it is becoming a most dangerous place for creatures to be. It is the greed and selfishness of man (the male) that has brought this about. Women are also responsible for the omission in standing up and voicing responsibility as companions to men. Women, generally, have a greater formative power on the values that are imbued by their children.

Someone wrote: We do not think ourselves into a new way of living; we live our way into a new way of thinking. I would say to all who have crucial decisions to make regarding climate change: you do not talk yourselves into a new way of living; you act your way into a better way of thinking and being (leadership and leaders).

Where are the pro-lifers in all this? What are our religious leaders and teachers saying and doing? What can doctors, scientists and other professors do besides provide a band-aid, factual information or philosophies?

We need a prophet, yet we Christians should know that the last of the prophets is the Divine Son of God. We don’t want to hear His message of love; it would show, in reality, that we are powerless without God.

This reflection was born out of Isaiah, chapter 45.

REFLECTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE