Let me say what my teacher taught, Father Thomas Berry, the late Catholic geologian and prophet:* First he said that while Earth is entitled to a Sabbath, we people must get to work; we must take up The Great Work. And what is the Great Work? It is the most arduous inside job we will ever been called to do: nothing less than consciously, deliberately evolve ourselves into a species completely new – because if we don’t give ourselves to this urgent transformation, our human descendants will not survive. Time is up for Homo Sapiens Sapiens – we were smart but we were not wise. Therefore we have to reimagine what it means to be human on this imperiled Earth now that there are 7 billion of us - 7 billion of us and all competing for the same limited/dwindling resources with unregulated industrial capitalism the only economy we have come up with for managing the “ecos” – the planetary household. It has not worked. So: rebirth a new humankind with a new consciousness, a new mind. Second, he said that if this gestating new humanity is to make it to a new period of Earth history which he optimistically called the ecozoic era, it will take tremendous spiritual energy. It will take unprecedented spiritual energy because we will have to effect a transformation so radical that we will in actuality be the birth of a new species – a more enlightened, peacemaking, earth-centered species who takes up its true sacred destiny to guide the unfolding evolutionary process in harmony with The Creative One. So how shall we generate this store of spiritual energy? Here is where we people of faith come in, because the work of the scientists is done. Now call in the preachers and teachers, the poets and prophets – The Great Work is the work of visionaries and activators. It is the work of believers who commit to getting this done. Even scientists now agree that we will not make the great turn to a new Earth era without the soul-force of the great religions. Our time has come. We are the saviors we have been waiting for – that is if we have a new mind and heart, a new sensorium and deep knowing of our unity of being with all beings. So let’s wake up! That is our job. Preachers – preach it; teachers teach it – teach the one shared ancient wisdom that we all hold as divinely ordained: Creation is sacred. This universe is not a meaningless, mindless phenomenon – a collection of objects for human use and determination, but rather the universe is a communion of subjects to be communed with. The universe is, as the poet says “…the Secret One growing a body.” If we do not preach and prophesy and raise the vibration of human awareness by our silence, our sitting, our soulful singing – who will? Who will save the rivers and the trees, the 1% of remaining wilderness, and the corals of the seas? The precious necessary bees? Who will protect life if not we? Third, and finally, the way a good spiritual master might, Father Thomas offered us three questions that function like inner guides re-orienting us toward a new practice of living with and as the Earth. These three questions have the power to become in some sense the voice of an emerging ecological conscience calling us to cultivate a new self – a green self - born of experimenting with green life- practice. The questions are deceptively simple, but their resonance is wide and deep. They are like ecological “koans” – potent questions intended to be embodied, which have the power to transform one’s consciousness and life-habits if – like a koan – they become a creative pre-occupation as we move though our daily lives. The First Question: is my next thought, word or deed sustainable for this planet? Will my next thought word or deed enhance the viability of Earth? Will it hurt or harm, hold or heal my Mother Earth? If everyone did what I am about to do, would the Earth be here in a year? If it is a take away without a give back, leave it alone. Second: does my next thought, word or deed foster intimacy with my Mother, the Living Earth? Does it honor the mystery of diversity which she holds in generous unity? Does it respect the profound subjectivity of my relatives, every living being which lives with me in this household of life? Does it aid me in awakening kinship with everything or does it leave me enthroned, encapsulated in egoism, narcissism, anthropocentrism? Does it enhance my human nature as a lover of nature, and so a nature protector, defender? Remember we will not save what we do not love: it is always all about love… Third: is my next thought word or deed an act of celebration of this marvelous Earth, this unutterable cosmos? For am I not the species made to be celebrant of this glorious realm which I have been summoned to life in for this brief and precious interval? If we can awaken from this dark night of Earth by way of a shared dream, we will vision our way into the Ecozoic - the age of intimate human rapport with creation. We will dream our way out of this planetary nightmare into the great celebration of our communion in the Great House of Being. A perpetual thanksgiving, feasting with all creatures, who will be honored and protected, called by their true names: “Brother, Sister Hazelr…” There will be one ecos – one household of Earth – with our Mother restored, no longer serving our every want but we supplying her every need. Tending her; Enjoying her. In the Great House of the Ecozoic there will be bounty again, born of human creativity, cultivation, ingenuity and care. And everywhere in everyone there will be Thanksgiving. A prolonged Sabbath will reign over our globe for our hearts will have come to rest in our Mother, healed of her wounds, and we of ours; restored to her beauty – and we to ours. An everlasting Gratitude will mark the way of the new humankind, keepers of Earth’s Sabbath, so that they might say with those pilgrims of old: And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at that time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty. Be blest in your thanksgiving and in keeping a Sabbath for the Earth in your own way. Amen. Works Cited: Thomas Berry The Great Work On-line essays on the tradition and history of American Thanksgiving Reference to Daniel Martin, PhD, UN Environmental Sabbath Programme © Kathleen Deignan, CND, PhD 11.27.14
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 00:10:00 +0000