We are living at a key moment in the history of humanity (remember we are talking about 200 million years of history). Every human being has one common enemy: it is climate change! And the enemy is us: human beings have burnt so much fossil fuel that the earth’s atmosphere is heating up. If we do not adapt our ways of production and consumption we could bring an end to human existence.
If we (all humans) do not change we are doomed! And by our own hand!
But the future need not be bleak and destructive. Humanity has made many adaptations along the way. Hopefully we can change our means of production and consumption. We are being challenged to change our culture into a culture of sustainability.
Do not go around knocking oil workers for the destructive contribution fossil fuels make to the environment. Ask each oil worker: and what can you offer to make this world sustainable for your great-grandchildren? How can you help all your fellow human beings to move out of fossil fuels and into a green economy that is sustainable for the next thousand years?
Do not underestimate the positive energy that oil workers can bring to caring for the earth.
This moment of opportunity exists for everyone. As was said at the opening of the COP27 meeting of world leaders in Egypt last Sunday: we cooperate or we perish. Climate change can mean a highway to climate hell.
This is a moment of opportunity for the two largest poulters and the largest economies in the world, USA and China, to each lower their carbon emissions and cooperate to build of world economy that is sustainable into the future.
Not only must governments work to lower of emissions but each individual human being, especially in the First World, could cut their consumption of goods and services by one quarter tomorrow morning and probably would not suffer any inconvenience. This call to not only save our earth from destruction but move into a world where everyone and every living being can thrive.
This history of Christianity for the past four hundred years has totally neglected the earth. As a people we saw the earth as so many resources to be dug up, manufactured and then discarded when we no longer needed them. Now the earth cries out in pain and suffering.
Fortunately, the church leadership under Pope Francis gave Christianity tools to rediscover our place and connection with the earth. In 2015 Pope Francis issued the encyclical (official Church teaching), Laudo Si, that connects our Christian faith with the first book of God’s revelation, the earth! Care for the earth and sustainability are no longer to be seen as something outside of our faith life. It has always been an integral part of our faith (although we have completely neglected it for four hundred years) and we must reconnect care of the earth with our service to God.
Maybe at this point the majority of born Catholics are not even aware of this encyclical but it will have long therm consequences on how we understand our position in this world. We have been given some spiritual tools to empower us to work to save the planet.
We are being moved to work with all human beings of good will to make the world thrive for all future generations.
Concerns about climate change are meant to be part of our spirituality and our faith practice.
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