The Spirituality of Earth Day

A friend from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester sent us the following, which we are happy to share.

The Spirituality of Earth Day

A healthy spirituality is grounded in the here and now - the realities of life here on earth. What could be more precious than a world whose water, air and dust is literally filled with the elements of all the saints that ever lived - even of God's own Son? The cycle of air and water is such that some of the molecules of air we breathe and water we drink in a lifetime likely passed through the holiest people who ever walked the earth - the greatest sinners, too! That's a pretty tangible aspect of the communion of saints.

What better way to honor God than to love and care for the earth, our home. There is nothing political about protecting our resources and ensuring that all people - in this present generation and those to come - get to share equitably in the goodness of the earth. No matter how conscientious we try to be, driving hybrids, changing our lightbulbs, reducing/reusing/recycling, we each use more of the earth's resources than the world will be able to maintain. Try this for a spiritual exercise: go to www.myfootprint.org take the quiz, reflect on your score, and consider some next steps - it's a gift to your "mother".