Restored Creation

A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry UMC April 19, 2015, Third Sunday of Easter, Observation of Earth Day.

Text:  Luke 24:36b-48                                                           

 

“The Vatican is set to host a major conference on climate change this month that will feature leading researchers on global warming and an opening address by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.”  This is part of Pope Francis’ “green agenda.”  Religion News Service reports that “The one-day summit on April 28 will…include participants from major world religions and aims to ‘elevate the debate on the moral dimensions of protecting the environment...Another goal is to highlight ‘the intrinsic connection between respect for the environment and respect for people — especially the poor, the excluded, victims of human trafficking and modern slavery, children, and future generations.’”[i]  One would think that this emphasis might garner support from all corners.  But of course there are folks who not only disagree, but are outraged that Francis is making such a big deal—and is planning to issue an encyclical—on climate change.  Some of those opposed to the Pope’s advocacy in this area believe “that climate change is being overhyped or that human activity is not a factor and that remedies may do more harm than good…Others simply believe that Francis…should not be weighing in on issues that touch on technical and scientific matters that some contend are still debatable.”[ii]

 

Of course the fiercest debates around environmental issues often come to a head when there is a lot of money to be made and/or the promise of jobs.  I have had conversations with close family members (remember I come from Oklahoma and Texas, after all) who argue that careful engineering and maintenance of things like off-shore drilling, the Keystone Pipeline, and fracking are not necessarily bad for the planet, but rather it is only when companies try to do things on the cheap or without care that harm is done.  My goal is to keep an open mind and to try to see things from a variety of perspectives.  I know that my family members (and others like them) want to care for creation even as they advocate for practices such as those mentioned.  But when we add up those things together with mountaintop removal, forest removal, polluted groundwater, loss of wetlands, greenhouse gas production, paving everything in sight, and Lord knows what else, I can’t help but think that we are, collectively, being driven first and foremost not by a balanced sense of stewardship of both human and environmental needs, but by the money to be made from coal, development, oil, agribusiness, and more.  There are folks here today who have a much more nuanced and complete understanding of the environmental, economic, social, and political issues involved in all of this than I do.  But on this Sunday before the official observation of “Earth Day” I want to remind us all of a very simple truth.   Regardless of your views about particular practices or perspectives, our Judeo-Christian faith specifically calls us to a deep and intentional connection with all of creation.  In his focus on environmental stewardship in all its dimensions, Pope Francis is not, as one particularly mean-spirited writer suggests, being “an ideologue and a meddlesome egoist”[iii]; he is being a Christian. Christians are not only called to be caretakers of the world, its earth, air, water, and creatures, but we are also reminded that we are, ourselves, part of the creation.  Both versions of the creation story in Genesis highlight our place and role within the beauty and order of things.  We are creatures, the human animal, made in the image of God.  The Christian understanding is not different from the Native American wisdom reflected in these words of Chief Seattle:  “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” 

 

Many social and cultural factors have conditioned us these days to miss the breadth and depth of our interconnectedness—not only with one another, but with all of creation.  We see our lives, our stuff, our planet, our time, the very air we breathe as our own.  It’s MINE, we think…  and we begin thinking that way at an early age—just check out this list of 10 “toddler property laws”: 

1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it’s mine.
8. If I think it’s mine, it’s mine.
9. If it’s yours and I steal it, it’s mine.
10. If I saw it first, or last, makes no difference, it’s still mine.

What we can laugh about when it comes to toddlers is less funny when adults who should know better function according to the same principles. And sadly, that happens all the time. It is up to people of conscience—people of faith—to be the “grown-ups.”  The Psalms give us the words:  “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1) and “The earth is the Lord’s and everything on it belongs to God!” (Ps. 24:1)  The earth belongs to God!  “Our” lives belong to God!  “Our” stuff, “our” land, all of it—belongs to God.  We didn’t do anything to deserve the beauty of the earth or the flesh and blood of our lives.  They are gifts to us from Creator God.

 

Our failure as a human race to remember and honor this truth has contributed to the devastation of habitats, the pollution of waters, the extinction of unique creatures, and whole eco-systems being thrown into imbalance and chaos.  When we lose our sense of being creatures within the created order, our sense of being in a mutual relationship, with the responsibility to take the long view as we care for the planet and its other creatures, we begin to think that it’s our “right” to take, to destroy, to dump, to do the convenient thing instead of the just and loving thing.  It’s our “right” to buy products that pollute.  It’s “our” land so we can do with it whatever we want.  And when the animals who have lost their homes move into “our space” then it’s their fault for complicating or endangering “our” lives.  It seems to me that it is this mindset that opens the door to our mistreatment of other human beings as well.  When we don’t see ourselves as interconnected, but rather as separate objects or obstacles to be used and abused, fended off or feared, then it becomes more possible to shoot someone in the back…  Oh, we are a wounded creation…

 

The other day on one of our evening walks with Harvey, our clumber spaniel, Anthony and I were marveling at the beauty of spring on Capitol Hill.  And Anthony said, “It’s amazing that even with all we do to the Earth, we still get this!”  “Yes,” I thought, “the power of life is stubborn that way…it will continue to find a way to flourish, to flower, to bear fruit.”  But as strong as creation is, it is wounded…

 

As I pondered the Gospel reading for today, I noticed that, like the earth that continues to offer itself to us with visions of renewal and life season after season, Jesus offers his risen, wounded body to the disciples, an invitation to a renewed relationship of mutuality.  The power of life, the power of God, is stubborn, refusing to be destroyed even when we do our worst.  But there, in Jesus’ wounds, we see that there are lasting consequences to our thoughtless, selfish, destructive actions.  We are invited to see in his hands and feet the brokenness of our created world, brokenness for which we, in part, are responsible; and we are invited into a renewed relationship of mutuality.  What does that mean?  Well, it means, first of all, being willing to face up to the complex reality of climate change and of our complicity.  Living in the city and having an alley as my driveway makes it impossible to ignore the fact that we consumers create a vast amount of trash.  Our consumption of energy and water, the choices we make about transportation and food, all of these things directly impact the earth.[iv]  I imagine that today I am preaching to the proverbial choir.  But if that’s the case, then it’s time for the choir to “preach,” to walk the talk.  When’s the last time you really considered what you are doing or not doing to care for the earth?  Even with what you are already doing in your home or workplace, how might you increase your commitment and impact in caring for creation?  What are we doing or not doing, using or not using here at Foundry to care for the earth?  One exciting project is that likely within the next year, we will have a whole bank of solar panels installed on our flat roof to provide clean energy for our building.  This project will not only save Foundry money, but will also significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. //  Next Sunday as part of our Holy Conversation, you will have an opportunity to learn about opportunities to be engaged and connected in ministry here at Foundry.  One of those ways is to jump on board with the Foundry Green Team.  We need folks who care and who are creative and committed to helping raise consciousness and enhance our congregation’s stewardship of creation.  This is one way that you can help Foundry live our mission to “change the world.”

Like the first disciples, even with all the destructive and hurtful things we have done, we still get the forgiveness, peace, and love of the risen Christ.  The risen Christ is the reason we hold out hope that God is able to bring about the promise of a perfectly restored creation.  And we can share in God’s restorative work as we remember our deep interconnectedness, see and touch the woundedness of creation, and then choose to actually DO something about it.  What will that perfectly restored creation look like?  It will look like the full realization of the Kin-dom of God.  I will leave you with one author’s description:

And then all that has divided us will merge

And then compassion will be wedded to power

And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind

And then both men and women will be gentle

And then both women and men will be strong

And then no person will be subject to another’s will

And then all will be rich and free and varied

And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many

And then all will share equally in the Earth’s abundance

And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old

And then all will nourish the young

And then all will cherish life’s creatures

And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth

And then everywhere will be called Eden once again[v]

 

 

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[i] David Gibson, “Pope Francis throw the weight of his office behind tackling climate change,” accessed on 4/17/15 at http://www.religionnews.com/2015/04/15/pope-francis-throws-weight-office-behind-tackling-climate-change/

[ii] Ibid.

[iii]Maureen Mullarkey, “Francis & Political Illusion,” accessed 4/19/15 at http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/mullarkey/2015/01/francis-political-illusion

[iv] http://www.oecd.org/environment/consumption-innovation/42183878.pdf

[v] Judy Chicago, Life Prayers, Edited by Elizabeth Roberts & Elias Amidon, HarperSanFrancisco, 1996, p. 17.