Essay: Earth Day: Let Our Light Shine on God’s World

God’s Abundant Love

During this season of Spring, God’s abundant love for us is on full display in all of nature’s creation—particularly in Central Park! As Catholics, we are called to be good stewards of creation, God’s precious gift, our common home, the Earth. That is the core essence of Laudato Si’. Throughout Scripture, Jesus makes many references to creation and reminds us in the parable of the mustard seed, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Mathew13: 31-35)

 This year, with respect to caring for God’s creation, we commemorate some noteworthy milestone moments. Firstly, we salute the 10th Anniversary of Pope Francis’s groundbreaking Laudato Si’ encyclical, proclaiming that God’s loving-kindness is in all creation. Therefore, we are called to care for all of creation and help those most vulnerable, poor, and in need. Laudato Si’ is anchored in the tenets of our Faith—to respect creation is to respect God and neighbor and live a life in Christ through compassion and love, action and deeds, responsibility and conscience, hope and charity.

Secondly, we recognize the 55th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22nd—a significant turning point that pivotally raised awareness of conscious for the environment. This year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power Our Planet”, encouraging greater awareness and acceptance of renewable energy and inviting everyone around the globe to unite behind it, and to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.

God’s Grace

As we underscore these Global watershed moments of environmental conservationism, we at St. Ignatius Loyola also celebrate a significant moment— it’s the third year of being a Laudato Si’ Parish! The St. Ignatius Loyola Laudato Si’ Platform emphasizes the need for us to protect our earth, foster environmental conservationism of natural resources, and heed our Christian responsibility to help the most vulnerable and the poor.

As good stewards of creation, we should strive to emulate and personify the spirit of Christ’s mustard seed parable, by spreading the message of the St. Ignatius Loyola Laudato Si’ Platform—“We reverence God in the wonder of creation.” To this point, on Saturday evening, April 26th and Sunday, April 27th, after each Mass, the St. Ignatius Loyola Laudato Si’ Ministry will distribute seed packets along with Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ prayer card, and compost bags in support of renewable energy—just a friendly reminder that when each of us individually care for creation and those in need we will receive God’s grace. Let us pray with Pope Francis when he says ”Everything is connected. We are all woven together by the love of God and we stand or fall together.”

End Notes

The St. Ignatius Loyola Laudato Si’ Ministry recommends the following books, films, and information to learn more about environmental conservationism and Laudato Si’.

Books: Saving Us: A Scientists Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, by Katharine Hayhoe, PhD & Come Have Breakfast, by Elizabeth A. Johnson. CSJ, PhD

Documentary Films: We’re All Plastic People Now. An Emmy Winning documentary introduced by Ted Danson and featured at the 2024 Santa Fe Film Festival & Common Ground. Celebrities and Farmers introduce the benefits to regenerative farming practices. Critically acclaimed and Winner of the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival Human/Nature Award

Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, tidal, and hydrogen, all of which are naturally replenished and offer low- or zero-carbon footprints.

Here’s a more detailed look at each:

• Solar: Uses sunlight to generate electricity or heat.
• Wind: Harnesses the power of wind to turn turbines and generate electricity.
• Hydropower: Utilizes the flow of water, like dams, to generate electricity.
• Geothermal: Extracts heat from the Earth’s interior to generate electricity or heat buildings.
• Biomass: Uses organic matter, like wood and crops, for energy production.
• Tidal: Captures energy from the rise and fall of tides.
• Hydrogen: A clean-burning fuel produced from renewable sources, offering potential for energy storage and transportation.

Music: Dan Schutte, Canticle of Creation. Give yourself a treat and listen. We invite you to join us on selected Tuesdays at 1 PM when the ministry meets at the Parish House.

— Geraldine Rizzo, Laudato Si’/Care of Creation Ministry