Trini Alvarez rscj
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The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution.
God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and the stars. ... God saw how good it was.
In Genesis God apparently works effortlessly, imagining sun and moon into being, taking delight in the work. There is no hint that pain and suffering end up being such a big part of the final product.
If God is like a mother hen, gathering us protectively under her wing, how do we account for the random violence of tornados and earthquakes or man-made disasters of war and ecological devastation? Maybe God is more like a she-wolf who knows her young need to be challenged and made hardy through exposure to cold and snow. The young learn to kill in order to eat. They learn that fidelity to their mates increases their chances of survival.
If it is true that we are made in God's image, perhaps it is also true that God has created, in this beautiful and troubled planet, the perfect conditions for us to grow in holiness. Maybe life on Earth is how we become capable of recognizing the good stuff and learning how to create it out of whatever is at hand.
Suggested action:
Create something lovely out of whatever is at hand.
Sheila Hammond rscj
Province of the United States
(Published in Tending the Holy: Daily Reflections on Caring for the Earth,Leadership Conference of Women Religious, USA)
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