Through Lent with Pope Francis
Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it. Recognizing the reasons why a given area is polluted requires a study of the workings of society, its economy, its behaviour patterns, and the ways it grasps reality.
Given the scale of change, it is no longer possible to find a specific, discrete answer for each part of the problem. It is essential to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems. We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.
Laudato si’ 139
Scripture
Psalm 139:13-16 NIV
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Thought for Today
Pope Francis challenges us to an ecology of integration and connectedness with our natural world and with all of humanity, particularly those persons lacking in basic human necessities.
Can I identify places of connectedness in my life?
Disconnectedness?
When I reflect on Pope Francis’ words of the importance of relationship and integration, where do I experience an invitation as I examine my life, my relationships and challenges in my world?
Music
SOS from the Kids, from TV programme Britain has got Talent in 2020