Prayer
Whirlwind Spirit of God, roar through our timidities and fears, shake the foundations of our ill-placed securities, sweep away the cobwebs of our apathy, blow down the walls that separate us, one from another.
Then into all our empty spaces, breathe re-strengthened courage to challenge injustice, renewed belief in the urgency of our vocation, revitalized passion to change our lifestyles, re-dedication to speak only words that build and unite.
Let gentle breeze and still small voice become in us today mighty wind and loud proclamation. Make of us a Pentecost people! Amen.
Knowledge
“There are no lasting changes without cultural changes … and there are no cultural changes without personal changes” (Laudate Deum, 70)
Laudato Si’ Week begins on Pentecost Sunday, May 19. The 2024 theme is “Seeds of Hope.” Hope in the light of the climate crisis and the health of our planet is often hard to come by. In fact, that’s one of the reasons you haven’t seen a YLBG since Easter. There seems no end to the battlefronts. Sometimes it is overwhelming. But when I think of the act of planting seeds, it seems to be achievable.
Pope Francis wrote Laudate Deum to emphasize the urgency of his message in Laudato Si’. And the quote above gives us an idea of how we should proceed. Personal change leads to lasting change. We are learning more and more about the personal changes we can make to better care for the earth. We are advocating for the cultural changes. We must trust that these will lead to the lasting change we seek. This is what is “ours to do.” Keeping the focus on that helps when I feel overwhelmed by the size of the problem.
“Let us always go on sowing the good seed; then live in the peace of God.” - St. Julie
Action
Keeping the focus on the beauty of creation helps me to focus on what is possible. Consider joining Dr. Sue Sack in an online course titled God Saw that It Was Good: Beauty in the Created World on Wednesday evenings or Thursday mornings, bi-weekly, for five sessions. Suggested donation is $25. You can contact Sue to register at skksack@gmail. com