Saturday, February 19, 2011

What Care For Creation- FR CONRAD SALDANHA



               I keep hearing about the great need for caring for creation and I wonder if we are really going about this whole exercise, with sound theological teachings. Is it another case of the failure of our theological community to bring in the Christ element in our teachings on care for creation?
                       Creation is what God has created. The Old Testament teaches us that it was ordered for man who is the crowning glory of God’s creation.  The second account of the book of Genesis reveals that all things were created keeping man in mind.  In his fall from grace, man also lost most of his authority over creation and over himself too.  The law of Sin begins to reign in him (Rm. 7:17, 23). He is subjected to death and decay like all of God’s creation (Rom. 8: 1) 
                    Yet it is not the whole truth. New Testament Scripture teaches us that all things were created “Through Him” (Jn.1: 3 & Col.1:16). Though Man is the centre of God’s creation, creation came into existence by the WORD of God, the living person in the Godhead: Jesus Christ. Since by our sinfulness we lost it, God had an alternative plan in Christ Jesus to redeem creation; the work that began in the incarnation and will be brought to completion on the cross and reach its complete fulfillment in the resurrection of the chosen ones.  No more we shall be subjected to death and decay but have the power of the resurrection at work in us believers. Even leading us constantly to rise, in every moment of death, to a new and everlasting life!
 The dangers of the new effort which is steeped in the great fear of destruction brought about by man’s greed need not be the fears of the followers of Christ. Neither is there need to carry a sense of guilt for the overuse of the resources of the earth.  We see in these worldly ideologies, a form of hostility that hits out at procreation which is God’s command for man. The growing population makes a rare demand on the resources of the earth-this proposition seems so true by human logic and rarely finds effective argument that could challenge such views. On the other hand the selfishness of a so called ‘selfless activity’ is rarely visible to the human eye and hence never seen as an obstacle to God’s plan and His wisdom.
                   Then there is the danger of reducing human suffering due to health problems, to the increased consumption and resultant pollution. Though this argument could well be attested by medical tests and logic yet for a Christian it should be untenable as the whole truth, it is only a peripheral way of looking at things. We may overlook the whole element of sin and selfishness at a deep spiritual level as the overriding cause of most of our ailments and sicknesses. Though there are arguments in medical sciences which attributes diseases to psych-somatic reasons yet in the absence of a strong palliative solution in this area the theory remains weak on its head.  At this juncture the evil of New Age apparently seems to come to the rescue. Today even Christian ministers and religious may offer solutions in New Age spirituality rather than in Jesus’ offer of healing and freedom.  This shows their lack faith and wisdom to avail of it. The growing trend of New Age spirituality in the church is proof of such deviation.  The New Age further accommodates such thinking by talking about holistic healings and detoxification of the body. Where is the role for the Sacramental ministry? Where is the confidence in divine intervention?
                   Then there is always the danger of a blame game approach, as in Marxist and socialist environment.  Blame the rich nation or the rich society and the greedy and the wealth owners. While we ourselves may be defaulters, owning cars with drivers yet we could be in the forefront of activism.  Many a time it is like the case of one blind leading the other. Can the church approach the problem like an NGO without direction or proper reason?
                    Is the human race in danger of extinction on account of the excess use of the resources of the earth? Maybe! To answer this is not a Christian priority. For there is a greater danger we could be walking into and that danger is that of not seeking to save ourselves but instead seeking to save creation.   Or is it seeking to save God the embarrassment of a chaotic creation as if He is the incapable one! Global warming maybe a reality which is born out of man’s greed and selfish ambition, but still not the whole truth. Presuming it to be the truth what solution can we offer to the human race? Are good advice and sound education and preaching values, the solution? They help but they too have their limitation. Even the Gospel of truth does not offer us a perfect solution for this inherent problem in us, in this life, except the salvific action of Christ and the witness of the few as an example to emulate.
                 On the other hand, the followers of the one true living God have every right to the resources of the earth and use it without guilt or remorse.  Yet they the children, will not deliberately abuse the created things of God; not because it is sacred, as some believe it to be, but rather because one’s life is not made out of the abundance of one’s possession. (Lk.12:15). This thought can only remain a mere teaching, if it is apart from Christ. For though one’s life cannot be made of the abundance of one’s possession yet it cannot be lived in isolation. This is so because of the very anthropological nature of man which seeks to have. It is in abiding in Him and only in union with Him that he has life and even life in abundance. (Jn.10:10) The closer one is to the king, the greater is that person’s right to have access to the riches of the king. Yet in reality, we see, in history, in the life of the saints, just the opposite; the simplicity and detachment to all things that spells ostentation. How can they? For in the proximity to the king doesn’t give us confidence in times of need and trouble then only in treachery we will find solution. This very reason that Psalmist could proclaim: “one thing I ask of the Lord, that shall I seek, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. (Ps. 27:5=4)
                      God the supreme king is still at work in creation, creating still and sustaining it. He came to save us and thus, through His action of saving us, He will save creation, according to His plan. The present creation is not meant to be an eternal abode for the human race. We have forgotten our Christian priority and got involved in a worldly priority, of saving creation rather than souls for Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel.  For the world that lives in doomed hope, working to save creation is a pursuit of great meaning and significance. But to them who hope in God they know that the price that Jesus paid and the miracle that Jesus performed can also make a miracle of creation.  No activity is valid or can be called legitimate if it does not recognize God’s living action in sustaining creation. We are mere co-workers when we seek to live according to the will of God.
Prayer: Lord, help me to believe in your great possibilities and your mighty power that still sustains us. Help me to live the simplicity of life as your child and witness to the living Gospel. May I never forget your priority for us and make this priority my own.

4 comments:

  1. Its a great insight in the present situation. Especially when everybody else is focusing on saving the world, what we have here is a call to focus on saving our souls (SOS). In John 3:16 we hear that God loved us so much that he sent his Son to die for us and save us from our sins, its foolish to think that God would let us be destroyed due to our allegedly misusing creation.Its important to respect creation, but i think, its more to :- Seek first His kingdom and righteousness and these things shall be yours as well ( Mat 6:33)

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  2. Wow Fr.C, this message is like a Soup for the Soul in the present situation of SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT.
    God the Father created this universe with His Eternal Power and revealed His glory and plan for we Children on this earth and so sent His only son JESUS who by His death and resurrection redeemed the world.
    And Yes, His work is still in process and only wants His beloved Children to first save their souls from their sinfulness through Christ Jesus, rather than saving creation.

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  3. Fr. Your teaching on creation is very touching and i felt it very nice and it is the truth. My God open our mind to know the truth of this world thro His instrument like you.

    May God bless you fr. and be with you always.

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  4. Yes Fr.C,Psalm 24:1-2 The earth is the Lord's and everything in it,the world, and all who live in it;for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
    All things are in God's control and everything in the Universe belongs to Him and we live under His Divine protection.
    Yes it should be the priority of all to preach,teach and proclaim the Gospel.Let the world know John 3:16,1:28,Mk 16:15 Jesus trained and sent the disciples to preach and we need to do it even more enthusiastically today.
    Fr.Robin

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