Sister Marianne Ferguson’s reflection addresses the Laudato Si action platform goal: Ecological Spirituality, which helps us discover God in all things.
Ecology and the Abundance of God’s Loving Care
By Sister Marianne Ferguson OSF
Ecology is closely connected to Spirituality. In the creation story in Genesis, 1:25, God created the animals and then said that He was pleased. When He created Humans, he gave them the responsibility to care for His creation, the earth (Gen 1:28). Just as God’s goodness is revealed in Scripture, we are gifted with the knowledge of his revelation in Nature.
True to his Franciscan heritage, St. Bonaventure appreciated all of creation as revealing God’s glory and his concern for Humans. Bonaventure’s ideas can be applied to modern times, especially his interest in the large range of diversity in all of creation. He said that the many forms of diversity found in plants, animals and humans were necessary to reflect the many aspects of God’s perfections. Each species contributes to the variety of creation and each one contains special characteristics that help us understand the glory of God.
Intelligent care of the environment in which each species lives will contribute to their growth and development. Careless and greedy concerns will contribute to their diminishment. We are deprived by irresponsible treatment of the environment because it takes away from us the appreciation of God, beauty, providence and goodness in His gift of creation. It becomes more difficult for God to be God because we can no longer revel in His natural gifts of creation caused by our own mistreatment.
True concern for the ecological benefits for the care of the earth will help us to appreciate more fully, along with Bonaventure, the abundance of God’s loving care for us.
We need to avoid being part of the “throwaway culture.” Follow these Practical Steps of Stewardship suggested by Katie Cassady, a regular contributor to the Catholic website, www.blessedisshe.net.
