Thought for the week

HOW much do you think about the fate of this beautiful world God has created? Thinking is not enough. Only genuine love of our planet will have the power to save it

The great Russian writer, Dostoevsky said “Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”

I think our hearts have to break a little if we are to take action. Who would not weep on learning that every single day Brazil chops down rain forest the size of 360 football pitches...with devastating consequences for people and animals. Our wonderful creation has evolved over millions of years and it is our very own generation that has the power to destroy it or save it. Who wasn’t impressed by the climate change protests initiated by young Greta from Sweden? Her charge that we are ‘killing the planet’ surely made us all think.

We all know what we have to do and not do. Love and compassion arising from our thinking will be our energising force. In Psalm 104 we read, “Bless God my soul / God how great you are/You fixed the earth on its foundations for ever and ever it shall not be shaken.” The psalmist goes on to extol the wonders of creation. May we have ears to hear and hearts ready to act. David Attenborough, that great missionary of the environment, has drawn our attention to the terrible plight of our plastic riddled oceans. The Glastonbury Festival acted and banned plastic bottles. What will you do? Sr Joy Elder