Care and Partnership
Engaging fully with the world around us requires us to see it not merely as a backdrop to our lives but as an active participant in our journey. This world, with all its intricate systems and diverse beings, reflects our deepest values and choices.
We cannot jump over this world, or its woundedness, and still try to love God. This engagement demands that we not only acknowledge the beauty and interconnectedness of creation but also take responsibility for its care and well-being.
Our task is to reconnect with the earth and all its creatures, understanding that this connection is integral to our own spiritual and ethical development. We must love God through, in, with, and even because of this world. This means treating every element of nature with the respect it deserves and acknowledging that our choices have far-reaching impacts.
We must shift our perspective from one of dominance and control to one of care and partnership. God "empties" Godself into creation, and then we humans spend most of history creating systems to control and subdue that creation for our own purposes and profit, reversing the divine pattern. By doing so, we align ourselves with a higher purpose, recognizing that our well-being is intrinsically linked to the health of the world around us.
Through our own unconsciousness, we have lost the beautiful relationship we once had with the rest of creation. As we work to restore balance and harmony, we honor the divine in creation and reaffirm our role as stewards. Our actions today will shape the world we leave for future generations, underscoring the profound connection between our spiritual journey and our responsibility to the earth.