A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Hosea
Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
for the Lord has a dispute
with the inhabitants of the land:
There is no truth or mercy,
and no knowledge of God in the land.
Swearing, lying, and killing,
and stealing and adultery
break out,
and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land dries up,
and everyone who lives in it withers
with the beasts of the field
and the birds of the sky;
even the fish of the sea disappear.
for the Lord has a dispute
with the inhabitants of the land:
There is no truth or mercy,
and no knowledge of God in the land.
Swearing, lying, and killing,
and stealing and adultery
break out,
and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land dries up,
and everyone who lives in it withers
with the beasts of the field
and the birds of the sky;
even the fish of the sea disappear.
Let us pray:
Gracious and loving Creator God,
you have reminded us once again
of our call to protect the earth.
Each of us is different, having different personal gifts, through sharing the same Spirit.
Teach us to keep our minds and hearts open to the promptings of your Spirit, that we may learn how to use our gifts, each in our own way and together.
Show us how we can be effective caretakers of this good earth.
May we do what we can to make this a healthier and better world for those who will come after us.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Excerpts from Fr. Ed Ciuba’s
“Creation at the Crossroads”)
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“Creation at the Crossroads”)
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Climate change disproportionately affects the poor. Many of the poor live in areas particularly affected by phenomena related to warming. Their subsistence is largely dependent on natural reserves and eco-systemic services such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry. They have no other resources to fall back on. Their access to social services and other protections is limited. For example, when climate change impacts their livelihood of farming, fishing, or hunting, they are forced to leave their homes and migrate elsewhere. Of all of the effects of climate change, the plight of displaced people is particularly alarming. They are not recognized by officialdom as refugees but as migrants. As we have witnessed in the political upheaval in the Middle East, refugees suffer the loss of a livelihood they are left behind without enjoying any legal protection. Once again, these are instances of “systemic change” in which, beginning with drought, flooding, or very often with war, the lives of innocent, poor people are impacted dramatically. This environmental inequality creates a strange economic phenomenon. Poor countries are often financially indebted to rich countries because of environmental crises caused by those same affluent nations.
While personal responsibility is an important step toward reversing climate change, political, economic, and structural transformations are needed if the reform is to be sufficient and sustainable. As citizens and beneficiaries of planet Earth, we are in this together. Pope Francis, quoting the encyclical Centesimus Annus by Pope St. John Paul II, goes on to say, “Every effort to protect and improve our world entails profound changes in ‘lifestyles, models of production and improve our world entails profound changes structures of power which today govern societies'”. Some people argue that Pope Francis should stay out of climate change debates and “leave it to the scientists.” But Francis and the Church know that protecting creation is first and foremost a religious and moral issue. The pope speaks not as a scientist but as a global pastoral leader. He does not point fingers at anyone but tries to awaken minds, hearts, and consciences of all people of good will to enter into a much-needed dialogue about the fate of our common home.
The poor and vulnerable are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation. How is climate change affecting the poor and vulnerable now?
Putting Faith Into Practice
The carbon footprint is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behavior on global warming. Calculate your or your family’s carbon footprint, which is the amount of carbon dioxide your activities create: https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/. Jot down what steps you and your family can take to reduce your carbon footprint.
