iServi News | 22 May | Term 2, Week 4
Laudato si: On Care for our Common Home
“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”. 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.
This coming Sunday, as we celebrate the solemnity of Ascension of the Lord, is the fifth year since Laudato si’ was published. Our Catholic community has grown in awareness of the destruction of our beautiful Earth, especially the impacts of global warming.
In reflecting on Laudato si’ there are many things for us to consider. There are so many groups who advocate for the care of our planet. The question here is not about them and the other people, but about ourselves. What I have I done for the care of nature? How do I contribute to the healing of the earth? Am I fighting against global warming and other forms of destructions?
To take care of creation is the main concern of the Laudato si’ encyclical. It gives us inspiration and reminds us to examine our ‘Triple H’: the Heart-Head-Hands. Yes, we have that love of nature and creation in our hearts. That is why many of us enjoy the outdoors, especially here in Australia. Many of us have the basic knowledge that comes from our head regarding our environment, nature and the whole of Mother Earth. We should put it this love and knowledge into our hands and transform it into action.
Dealing and taking care of our common home is not so far away from us that we can’t do something about it. In fact, all the things that we do every day have an impact on our environment, even if we can’t see the impact directly. We need to start becoming more aware of how we can change our actions to become more helpful, and continue to do these things. We also need to reflect on our daily activities that are destructive, and explore ways we can reduce if not eliminate them.
This coming Sunday we will celebrate the solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, when Jesus’ ascended to Heaven, left this Earth and entrusted it to our hands. As followers and believers of Jesus, we should take seriously the responsibility of taking care of Creation. Our world is part of that life that was given to us to look after.
Fra Ruben Cardona OSM
College Chaplain