Pope Francis has written two important Apostolic Letters on “Mother Earth: Our
Common Home.” In them he wants us to see ourselves as creatures on the earth
joined together in a common bond. He is asking each of us to expand our vision. It is
similar to what the early Church needed to do when asked the question: “Who is my
neighbor?” In the beginning Christians were only Jews. It was St. Paul who began
preaching to the Gentiles, and the early disciples of Jesus were called to expand their
vision to include all peoples. In fact, later, the word “catholic” with a small “c”
meaning universal, became “Catholic” with a capital “C.”
Pope Francis goes beyond referring only to humans. His letters include all creatures
and the earth itself. We walk on common ground. We all look up to see the same sky.
That picture of the earth taken from the moon is imbedded in our memories. What is
our response? As Christians and as humans we are called to take care of Mother Earth.
This mandate can take many forms, but the main purpose is to leave this planet
beautiful and sustainable for our children and our children’s children.
- What does care for the earth mean to you?
- Does this involve a change in your thinking and/or behavior?
- Do you feel a responsibility to join others to make necessary changes?
O God, help me not to take this earth for granted but to respond to her needs.