Today is Earth Day.
Wait.
Sarah Beth, Earth Day isn't a Catholic thing. Is it?
No, but yes.
Here's why.
Earth Day began in 1970. Before the days of environmental protection, companies were allowed to dump toxic waste into streams and pump poisonous smoke into the air. Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day to bring awareness to these issues. When we as Catholics say we are pro-life, that applies to all of creation. Remember way back at the beginning; God created the earth and all the living things on the earth. Then he gives man dominion over every living thing. All my life, I have been surrounded by people who cared for the earth. My grandfather worked as a Louisiana state forester. Today, I have friends that are foresters and wildlife biologists. My husband, who has given his entire career to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, began his time with that agency cleaning-up the Exxon Valdez spill. Caring for our home; is not a political decision; it is a moral one. The earth is a sacred place where God dwells with His people. The Lord is present on the mountain tops, in the streams, and the bear cub running across the trail. We can encounter God tangibly and visibly in His creation. When I take a hike in the mountains, when I go fishing on a quiet stream, I can feel God's presence. Earth Day, Catholic? Maybe not, but it should remind us that we are caretakers of the sacred place God has given us to call our home in this life.
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