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In this post, I believe the words of God, and the prayer of one saint almost speak for themselves, so I will keep my comments brief:
Genesis 1:27-31
God created humanity in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and cultivate it. Exercise stewardship over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth." God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
The first chapter of Genesis is a hymn to the goodness of creation, with each line ending in the choral refrain, "God saw...and God said, it is good".
In many translations, we hear that God gave humanity "dominion" over the earth to "subdue" the creatures on earth. However, given the leadership style of Jesus Christ, the Christian should see "dominion" as a responsibility - a stewardship aimed at cultivating and nuturing the creatures in our experience.
Genesis 9:3-4
Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants. Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat.
In the Biblical narrative, it is only after the great flood that humanity is given the right to eat animal flesh. Humanity is portrayed as originally vegetarian, and remained vegetarian for some time after the Fall. In the mystical theology and spirituality of the desert mothers and fathers, saints are often portrayed conversing with animals and living in harmony with all creation. The prophet Isaiah even fortells a day when the lion and the lamb will lie together in peace, and one can presume that humanity will live at peace with the animals in these days as well. In monastic traditions, many Christians continued to embrace vegetarianism for centuries. Unfortunately, this spirituality has been largely lost in the West.
It is interesting to note that even when the right to animal flesh is given in the Biblical narrative, we are not to take the blood of the anaimals, which is a symbol of life.
Psalm 8
O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! You have set your majesty above the heavens!
Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have drawn a defense against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger.
When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place--
What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet:
All sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!
We see in Psalm 8 what many Christians intuitively know....through the awesomeness of creation, our minds and hearts are lifted to God in wonder! The Psalm speaks of our rule over creation, and yet acknowledges a natural humility arising in human conscienciousness as we ponder the creator of such beauty and grandness.
Psalm 148
Hallelujah!
Praise the LORD from the heavens; give praise in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels; give praise, all you hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon; give praise, all shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens, you waters above the heavens.
Let them all praise the LORD'S name; for the LORD commanded and they were created,
Assigned them duties forever, gave them tasks that will never change.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deep waters;
You lightning and hail, snow and clouds, storm winds that fulfill his command;
You mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
You animals wild and tame, you creatures that crawl and fly;
You kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all who govern on earth; Young men and women too, old and young alike.
Let them all praise the LORD'S name, for his name alone is exalted, majestic above earth and heaven.
The LORD has lifted high the horn of his people; to the glory of all the faithful, of Israel, the people near to their God.
Hallelujah!
We see in this Psalm that creation itself gives glory to God, and that humanity joins creation in praising our creator. The theme is continued int he following Psalm where everything that has breath gives praise to the Lord:
Psalm 150
Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy sanctuary; give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.
Give praise for his mighty deeds, praise him for his great majesty.
Give praise with blasts upon the horn, praise him with harp and lyre.
Give praise with tambourines and dance, praise him with flutes and strings.
Give praise with crashing cymbals, praise him with sounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath give praise to the LORD!
Hallelujah!
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is the following hymn sung or recited by priests and and religious throughout the Catholic world on Sunday mornings as part of the Liturgy of the Hours. In this hymn, we command creation - even those parts of creation the secular world considers "inanimate" to join with us in our worship of God:
Daniel 3:52-90
(Found in the Catholic New American Bible (Not found in Protestant Bibles)
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
You heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Nights and days, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
You springs, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
You children of humanity, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
O Israel, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Holy ones of humble heart, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever. For he has delivered us from the nether world, and saved us from the power of death; He has freed us from the raging flame and delivered us from the fire.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.
Bless the God of gods, all you who fear the Lord; praise him and give him thanks, because his mercy endures forever.
The theme of this hymn is continued inthe tradition of the Church by the mirror of Christ, Saint francis of Assisis, who was said to preach to birds and wolves, and who penned the following prayer addressing aspects of creation as his family and asking creation to glorify God:
The Canticle of the Sun
By Saint Francis of Assisi
Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,
All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,
Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.
Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,
So useful, humble, precious and pure.
Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,
Mother Earth
who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon
for love of You and bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who endure in peace,
By You Most High, they will be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,
And serve Him with great humility.
Catholic Christians should have a deep reverence and a deep sense of awe towards God's creation. This deep reverence and sense of awe at creation should stir us to care about our environment and to conserve our resources.
I rememebr in second grade at a Catholic grade school being introduced to principles of environmentalism by the nuns.
Conservative Catholics, especially Republicans, sometimes scoff at such notions. Nevertheless, the Scripture and Tradition strongly support a preferential option toward environmentalism and reverence for creation!
Peace and Blessings!
jcecil3
Readers may contact me at jcecil3@attglobal.net
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posted by Jcecil3 2:57 PM
