MSP Young Adults

Eco-Spirituality

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For hundreds of years, those who have been interested in the spiritual life have found that exposure to the beauty of the Earth is a way to make God powerfully present. Recently, Catholics and all Christians have become interested in the ecological movement and a new awareness of the transcendence of the Cosmos. Concern for the present ecological crisis has become more than a cause; it involves, too, a spirituality that supports activists and even simple lovers of nature to be caretakers of the Earth and stewards of God’s creation.

Just as Christian spirituality focuses on one’s relationship with God in the Trinity, God is revealed to the person in diverse ways. Ecospirituality teaches that divine life extends to all reality, and the Cosmos is an integral part of God’s self-revelation. In ecospirituality, we explore our relationship with God in the context of our relationship with the whole Cosmos with God in the center as Creator of this masterpiece.

While the term, “ecospirituality,” is a relatively new one, the psalmists sang of God’s presence in nature and often called on the entire Cosmos to join in celebration: “Let the Heavens rejoice and the Earth be glad…” (Ps. 96) Theologians and contemplatives, past and present, have experienced the hand of God in the magnificence of the Cosmos.

Today, more than ever we need to learn about the depths of ecospirituality as we face the devastating issues of climate change, water pollution, acid rain, deforestation, hazardous waste disposal and the total annihilation of many plant and animal species. We need to deepen our realization that the human being is so connected to the Cosmos that destroying God’s creation becomes a moral, even a human-rights issue.

We pray that an increased awareness of ecospirituality will transform our minds and hearts and bring oneness and integration with one another and with our planet.

“Let the sea and all within it thunder praise!

Let the land and all it bears rejoice!

All the trees of the wood shout for joy

At the presence of our God!

For our God comes to rule the Earth!” (Ps. 96)

The slide show below is for your meditation during the quiet hours of your day: "Lord of all, to You we raise this our hymn of grateful praise!"

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Recent Honduran Elections	Watch . . . by Jesse Freeston of REALnews reporting his information on the recent elections: actual voter turnout and more.

YARM (Young Adults Responders in Ministry) Why not consider signing up for some special duty parish ministry. Service projects come up unexpectedly and can require some manual labor, or some ministry of presence and compassion. Especially during these challenging economic times, our neighbors and parishioners are often calling in "need." Maybe they need some strong arms to help with some manual housework. Maybe they need someone to run an errand. Maybe they are lonely from long winter days, kept inside their homes. Maybe they need someone to help move some furniture for them, etc., etc.

If you are willing and able to help parish friends who are facing tough and challenging situations, please call Sr. Valerie. Remember many hands make light labor. If enough ministers call, no one person will be overburdened. Besides, lightening the burden of one of us, lightens the burdens of all of us.

Christ has no body now, but yours. No hands no feet on earth, but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks compassion into the world.

Children of Eden Photos.

Peace Camp 2009 Photos.

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