RBWords - Volume 28 - Number 6: June 2015
Something to Think About
R. B. WORDS - VOLUME 28 - NUMBER 6 - JUNE 2015
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT -
All the hoopla about the publication of Pope Francis' encyclical, LAUDATO SI', has been shunted aside by the eccitement over the U.S. Supreme Court decisions about the Afffordable Care Act and same-sex marriage. However, the encyclical is a very important moment in the teaching of the Church on the environment and all that it means. I've read it and yes, it is a long document, reflecting the complexity of issues that are raised in the context of a comprehensive view. Pope Francis does not seem to have left anything out!
What amazed me in the lead-up and immediate reactions are those who claim the pope should not be speaking about this subject, in which, as one character put it, "He has no competence!" One wonders what is going on in the minds of such people. An encyclical is not just something the pope sits down at a desk and writes out by himself. This one especially involved considerable consultation and study. Secondly, one wonders if such critics have ever read the first two or three chapters of Genesis or the Psalms! All of these refer to God's creative activity in history. How can anyone deny the appropriateness of a pope speaking on the subject of the environment? Any political or economic implications come about because of acknowledgment that we humans are stewards of creation and not its owners. This is a matter of faith. Politicians and industrialists should examine their consciences before they criticize.
I do recommend taking the time to read the document. It is very simple and profound in style, even if it is a long read. I fear its length will discourage many and that would be a tragedy. I once read that God has given us three fundamental gifts: LIFE, OTHER PEOPLE, and A PLACE TO LIVE. That we mistreat all of these is a matter of historical fact. That we need the pope to remind us of these gifts and challenge us to conversion should be plain! IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
It Has Been Said
Any technical solution which science claims to offer will be powerless to solve the serious problems of our world is humanity loses its compass, if we lose sight of the great motivationswhich make it possible for us to live in harmony, to make sacrifices and to treat others well. Believers themselves must constantly feel challenged to live in a way consonant with their faith and not to contradict it by their actions. They need to be encouraged to be ever open to God's grace and to draw constantly from their deepest convictions about love, justice and peace. If a mistaken understanding of our own principles has at times led us to justify mistreating nature, to exercise tyranny over creation, to engage in war, injustice and acts of violence, we believers should acknowledge that by doing so we were not faithful to the treasures of wisdom which we have been called to protect and preserve. Cultural limitation in different eras often affected the perception of these ethical and spiritual treasures, yet by constantly returning to their sources, religions will be better equipped to respond to today's needs.
from LAUDATO SI #200 by Pope Francis
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