大象传媒

From Father Brian D鈥橝rcy, a Catholic Passionist priest:听
I can鈥檛 remember a time when the beauty of nature is more deeply appreciated. Forced to slow down and be still, peaceful silence allows us to be inspired by the heavenly sounds of nature, no longer drowned out by the rumble of traffic. The evil of Covid 19 might yet turn out to be a blessing, preventing us from destroying what Celtic spirituality called 鈥楪od鈥檚 first Scripture鈥�- namely creation itself.听
Time magazine on April 20th reported on a research team to Antarctica which made a disturbing discovery: While walking on a remote beach teaming with newly hatched penguin chicks, they found a plastic milk jug. Further along they picked up a tangled mess of bright green rope and then a fading fishing buoy. During their six-week stay, the team collected three metric tons of garbage along Antarctica鈥檚 beaches. It is estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic debris end up in the world鈥檚 oceans every year. If the current rate continues, the experts estimate that within 20 years there will be, by weight, more plastic than fish in the ocean.听
Five years ago Pope Francis published his ground-breaking teaching on ecology, Laudato Si. In it he wrote: 鈥淭he world is God鈥檚 loving gift us鈥�. To appreciate creation and to save it from destruction demands that we radically change the way we live. Every day now I go on a prayer walk. I allow myself to be inspired by myriads of trees in all their glory. Often trees speak to me about the glory of God more deeply than liturgical rites do. From their deep roots, to the tip of their branches, they beautifully bridge the gap between heaven and earth. Trees are immensely generous too. They provide homes, food and shelter, for a multitude of birds, insects and vegetation. Pope Francis is correct to point out that trees are God-made. They have their own dignity and a right to live and grow. Long before him the poet Joyce Kilmer put it even more beautifully: 鈥淚 think that I shall never see/ a poem as lovely as a tree鈥�A tree that looks at God all day /and lifts her leafy arms to pray.鈥�