Everything is interconnected

In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis repeatedly reminds us that ‘everything is interconnected’ … our care for ourselves and our relationship with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others.

Aug 28, 2021

                                                          Editor’s Column Sustained by Grace

In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis repeatedly reminds us that ‘everything is interconnected’ … our care for ourselves and our relationship with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others.

Everything is indeed interconnected. As we celebrate the Season of Creation from Sept 1 to Oct 4, we are invited to reflect on how environmental concerns are connected to socioeconomic concerns — rising sea levels which threaten coastal communities; concerns about migrants and refugees; problems relating to plastic waste; the challenge of poverty; the need for strategies to curb greenhouse gas emissions; and the imperative for just economic policies which take into account the marginalised.

We even see this interconnectedness in the pandemic which descended upon us more than a year ago and is still with us. It has affected every sector, every ethnic community, every person, without discrimination, in this country and the world over. No one is untouched by the impact of this global pandemic which has left us humbled and aware of our fragility.

It is also during times like these, times of crises and suffering, that we recognise our connectedness and common humanity. Human suffering highlights the universality of the human condition. In the face of death, factions, divisions, and distinctions become superfluous and insignificant. This is the message at the heart of our Holy Father’s encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, which calls upon all men and women, brothers and sisters, to unite in human fraternity and solidarity.

The role of a parish is to be a light, a guide, a model for society at large. This has come to include the realm of our relationship with, and care for, creation. In the absence of physical parish life, some find it difficult to keep that light burning. Our enthusiasm has waned, fatigue has set in. We have concerns about ourselves and our families. Some of us are barely surviving. We do not need added responsibilities. ‘Let the bishops and the clergy take care of the Church, let the government take care of the country, and let the ecologists take care of the environment,’ some might say.

But the Church needs us. Our country needs us. Creation needs us. Perhaps during these days, when the normal rhythms of life have been forcibly rerouted, we have some time to pause, to examine the big picture. The problems facing us may seem overwhelming, but we must be mindful that the work of liberation, of relief, of strengthening is not the work of God alone - it is also the work of a people who unite around their common humanity, the work of men and women who are empowered and commissioned to bring God’s relief to those suffering.

We are God’s people, called to justice. We can, and must, turn our attention and efforts to what God has called us to. We may have already done much; however, there is more to be done. Justice, for our planet requires vigilance, accountability and commitment.

We must strive to remove the pollution of greed and indifference which destroys life so that justice can flow freely now and in the future, replenishing all life on this beautiful and awesome planet created by a loving and life-giving God.

In this season when there is so much upheaval in our political life, we must recognise that conflict and division are present in all critical moments in history. Debates and decisions about a common vision for our nation and the welfare of its citizens must be ongoing.

Nevertheless, on this 64th National Day, perhaps we would do well to recognise and reflect on our connectedness and dependence on each other. Such a focus leads us to see our diversity as a gift, not a threat, and invites us to live with a sense of abundance, rather than of fear. It challenges us to give rather than to receive.

Let us also remember that we are all parts of the Body of Christ, parts that must work together. He exhorts us not to fear. We are most like Jesus when we give, even sacrificially.

Happy National Day!

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