LIVING LAUDATO SI’ THIS LENT

“Saint Francis, faithful to Scripture, invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness. ‘Through the greatness and the beauty of creatures one comes to know by analogy their maker’ (Wisdom 13:5); indeed, ‘his eternal power and divinity have been made known through his works since the creation of the world’ (Romans 1:20).”

—Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, #12 (Praised Be)

As we find ourselves tossed about in the daily current of life, how many of us lament the difficulty we have understanding God’s plan for each of us? It is for the mystics to know, we might say. It is simply for me to accept and move on.

Not so, says St. Francis—and Pope Francis wisely points to Scripture, where we are reminded that we can encounter God daily, in all things! The world around us drips with the beauty and presence of God, and we have only to raise our eyes to see.

Pope Francis goes on to remind us that recognizing God in all things demands action on our part: we must respect all things! When a species goes extinct, when some piece of the natural landscape is destroyed, we are robbing those who will come after us.

How humbling it is to realize that each and every aspect of our planet can serve as a looking glass into the mystery of God! We recognize, then, that the world isn’t here to meet our immediate needs; rather, the planet is our common home, and we are called to lift up the needs of all.