Day 31
One complex crisis
Spend time with the photo
Photo credit: R. Paine
The sparrow finds a home
and the swallow a nest to settle her young.
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Blessed are those
who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Psalm 84:3,4
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We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.
Along with the importance of little everyday gestures, social love moves us to devise larger strategies to halt environmental degradation and to encourage a "culture of care" which permeates all of society.
When we feel that God is calling us to intervene with others in these social dynamics, we should realize that this too is part of our spirituality, which is an exercise of charity and, as such, matures and sanctifies us.
Pope Francis, Laudato Si' 2015
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development is a global initiative that communicates the connection between religion and ecology and then mobilizes faith communities to act. Campaigns and short videos are available at their website.
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The Laudato Si' Movement is the global confederation of Catholics and Catholic organizations working to implement the 2015 encyclical. The Movement emphasizes three dimensions:
spirituality, lifestyle, and public policy.
encouraging people to:
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Pray for and with creation
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Live more simply
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Advocate to protect our common home​
Initiatives and programs are available at their website:
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