Today, Earth Day, might better be served by quoting St. Francis, no? NO! Actually, St. Augustine stands as one of the first of the Doctors and great mystics to appreciate what God created in the world as a means to understand God's creative LOVE.
As the world finally begins to wake up to the serious crisis that we have caused in mistreating the planet for selfish gain, the words of Augustine help us see the sacred beauty of what God made and why we need to care and love it back!
"But also heaven and earth and all within them, behold, they bid me on every side to love you, nor do they cease telling this to all...I asked the earth and it said: 'I am not he.' I asked the sea and the deeps and they answered: 'we are not he.'... I asked the blowing breezes and the entire air with its inhabitants said: 'we are not he, nor are we the god you seek.' And I said to these all, 'Tell me about my God, then.' And they exclaimed in a loud voice, 'HE MADE US!'
-Confessions, X, 6
Let us pray,
God, womb of holy life, in all that you create, you put the stamp of your love, most perfectly in ourselves. By your incarnation you proclaim all creation is good and humans are very good. Let us show our love for you and each other in caring for the beauties of the world. Let us listen carefully and cultivate life in every corner of creation that we may hear their praise of you, HE MADE US!
Through Christ, Thy Word, by whom all creation was made. Amen
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3 comments:
I too, think of Earth Day in a St. Francis sort of way. What a blessing that Our Holy Father, St. Augustine, was one of the first to show stewardship of God's creation and a perfect way to understand His love. It is easy to see God's creative love in Iowa, with our beautiful and fruitful countryside. However, in all areas, city and country, God's creative love is all around. It is also ours to appreciate and pay back with love/stewardship to God, St. Augustine, St. Francis, and all creation, even my cat, Jasper! On this Earth Day, I am praying to see the Incarnation in every aspect of God's beauty. I will listen carefully to every aspect and hopefully hear in that loud voice, "He made us!" And possibly to "Take care of us!" also.
JayD
Amen, Jay!
It is good to see that our Holy Father Augustine speaks to God & Creation in such a way. I admit I tend toward a more Celtic view wherein God is immanent in Nature, yet St. Augustine's sentiment still stands....
~Valorie
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