It's not "the earth," it's our home. In Capital E: Earth, GSR delves into climate change, ecology, sustainable living and eco-spirituality.
Our Earth is burning. Our sacred "Sister Mother Earth who sustains and governs us" is on fire. We see the sacred spires of trees in the Amazon falling to fire, the baptismal fonts of rivers and lakes languishing in drought and pollution, the daily eucharistic altars of family tables in Honduras, Salvador and Guatemala empty of food for children, and we stand before the death beds of species becoming extinct as we act as hospice-midwives.
We all need to be part of the solutions addressing climate change, the greatest issue of our time. But every part of us needs to be part of the solutions. The answers do not lie only in technology or renewable energy or efficient cars — only part of the solution. The foundation to the solutions lies within a spiritual conversion that shifts and expands worldview, while deepening the roots of our soul view.
In an informal network, we explore the new cosmology and its implications for a new and emerging worldview; address concerns about the ecological/spiritual crises of our times; and support one another in healing the human spirit and restoring Earth's support systems.
As religious, some of us have huge institutions, plenty of houses, and any number of rules and regulations. But do we enjoy the spirit of true sharing in community?
Facing the realities of the extractive industries' push against pristine public lands and recent actions by the Trump administration to reduce the size of two national monuments that are significant to Native Americans, spiritual leaders believe in miracles and prayer.
My decision to let the gentleness of fall lure me into gratitude is one mode of "inner climate change" I desperately need to cultivate at this critical time. This is my spiritual/personal source of "renewable energy" waiting to be tapped.
I have always been passionate about the social teachings of the church, and in my studies I had the opportunity to explore documents that raised my awareness of justice issues and see how the church encourages her missionaries to address them in light of Gospel values.
Spending time with the people of Chile in the wake of the destruction left behind by immense forest fires, I experience God's presence and the internal strength of the Chilean people.
As I walk the woods and enjoy the autumn beauty of the elm and maple trees, I especially admire the sturdy evergreen cedars, the "pioneer trees" that begin growing first. Here at Cedars of Peace, they simply stand, their green boughs a contrast to the other trees of the forest.
It is doubtful that we feel "made for these times." We may well wish that we had been born at another time, one more settled and secure.
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