What are we doing?

The ancient creation stories, found in many faiths, all speak about the Creator producing a masterpiece of wonders. In the Christian Scripture story, as the elements take form and shape, each one is proclaimed, “good.” Then, it happened. On the last day of creation, the Creator made us.

I remember one of my favourite cartoonists, a man by the name of Gary Larsen, whose strip was called the Far Side, depicted this moment. On a hill nestled by lush trees and bushes lies a broken, empty mason jar, with the lid lying beside the jar. On the jar is the label, “Man.” The caption on the cartoon reads, “Oops.”

Sometimes, as I look around this world, I wonder if Larson wasn’t prophetic with his cartoon. The idyllic Eden of creation times has become tainted by our selfish activities, in relation to this earth. How the Creator’s heart must ache. Our misuse of God’s creation, who called us to be stewards of it, is becoming catastrophic.

Now, I don’t want to be a doom-sayer, but our treatment of this world for our own gains, has only yielded horrors for many people. Mudslides, flooding, droughts, the dying off of species, earthquakes not to mention the flight of our egos that produce wars and bigotry are becoming a commonality instead of a rarity.

I remember looking at pictures of earth taken from space. That iconic picture, taken from the moon, of this tiny blue planet hovering in space emphasized the need for us to care for this world, not exploit it.

To see that seemingly miniscule layer of ozone, that keeps us from frying up, truly makes the need to care for this earth more immediate. It’s the only world we have, folks! What are we doing?

What are we doing to each other? My heart cried when I heard of the devastation one man produced in Orlando, Florida. That, on top of how our First Peoples have to live, in the true north strong and free. We wouldn’t tolerate it if we lived like them, here. Why should they, there?

The hopelessness of so many teenagers who see their only release through suicide. It seems our society is becoming more split, more black and white in its views.

And for power alone, politicians will feed on that.

What are we doing? We have to figure out another way of doing things before Cape Breton is overwhelmed by Americans.

Last week, we observed the passing of Muhammad Ali. Many of those, who offered remembrances, spoke not so much on his prize-fighting, but on his humanity and his love for others, of all faiths.

Here was a Muslim who transcended the denominational lines that separate us and created a network of friends from all levels of society and all faiths. A recurring theme for many of the speakers was that when we share our common humanity, then we become Ali.

Jesus prayed to his friends, that we would become one. One in the Spirit and purpose of God where bigotry and evil do not reside.

We are called to rise up as one to fight against the evils that are causing us so much despair in life and create again a world of peace and love for all.

What are we doing to accomplish that, today?

What do each one of us have to do to make this world a better world for everyone and everything?

What are you going to do, today?

God bless you all.

“We are called to rise up as one to fight against the evils that are causing us so much despair in life and create again a world of peace and love for all.”