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Genesis 1:26-31a
Psalm 104:1, 5-25, 28-32, 34
Sirach 17:1-12
Luke 12:16-21
Collect of the Day
Note: With the approval of the Bishop, these lessons have been substituted
for the lectionary lessons for the day in order to celebrate Earth Day 2008
Jesus told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”(Luke 12:16-21)
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters (Gen 1:1-2).
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On December 17, 1972, about five hours after launch and while en route to the moon for what would become the last moon landing, the crew of Apollo 17 took the famous “blue marble” photograph of the earth. This is the only fully illuminated photograph ever taken of our planet from space.[1] The picture I am holding is an actual photograph made from the original NASA photographic negative, and it is signed by mission commander Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon.
NASA archivist Mike Gentry has speculated that The Blue Marble is the most widely distributed image in human history. When it was released in the 1970s, our country was experiencing a surge in environmental activism. The image quickly became a focus point. It depicts the “frailty of the earth, its vulnerability and isolation amid the expanse of space.”[2]
If you look closely at the rim of the earth – particularly at the top – you can see a very thin, light blue line. That is the earth’s atmosphere. That’s how thin it is. Held in place by gravity, that is all that separates us from the cold vacuum of space. And everything we have now, and all that our children will have, is on this cobalt blue planet. Every molecule of the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the very air we breathe is on this earth. And with very rare exceptions, every atom of every molecule, of everything we have created or discarded, is still on this blue marble. Even the very oxygen and hydrogen that Jesus exhaled as water vapor is likely still here somewhere. To be sure the earth is a dynamic, constantly changing place. All things cycle through the earthen, the watery, and the atmospheric parts of our planet. But in one form or another, all things remain here.
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth … Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” … God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good (Gen 1:26-31a).
Those words from the Old Testament embody a great theological truth: That God made everything, and that it is all good. Those words also leave us with an enormous responsibility. In giving us dominion over all of the creatures of the earth, we have also been given responsibility for the earth itself, because all living things of the earth are totally dependent on the earth itself. Our spiritual ancestors, the ancient Hebrews, did not have an ecologically based theology – which is not surprising, given the relatively small population of the world at that time, and the apparent infinite vastness of the planet. And this kind of thinking has in many ways dominated human beings until relatively recent times.
The passenger pigeon was once the most common bird in North America. At the time Europeans came, it was estimated that there were as many as five billion passenger pigeons in the United States. When they migrated, it was possible to see flocks containing up to a billion birds a mile wide and 300 miles long, taking several days to pass.[3] The number of birds declined due to loss of habitat as settlers moved into the interior of the country, but the greatest losses occurred between 1870 and 1890 when pigeon meat was commercialized as a cheap food for slaves and the poor. The final flock of 250,000 was killed by American “sportsmen” in 1896 simply because it was the last flock of that size. It shows how “dominion” equated with annihilation of a species.
Although this story is familiar – maybe even a bit tiresome – it shows how human beings viewed the planet as something of seemingly infinite size, and a resource to be exploited.
In his book, Serve God, Save the Planet, J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D. wrote, “[God made the earth] to be self-sustaining and renewing. Throughout history, the natural world has fulfilled its role. It has carried a thousand generations largely without the help or consequence of humans.”[4] Writing as a Christian and a physician, Sleeth uses examples from his medical practice in Central America and twenty-two U.S. hospitals to show that the earth is on the verge of ecological collapse, and that humans are the cause.
On Easter Sunday of 2006, I gave a sermon in which I used a compact fluorescent light bulb as an illustration. I mentioned that if every household changed its five most used incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent ones, the country could take twenty-five coal fired power plants off line immediately, which is equivalent to taking eight million cars off the road. Why does this matter?
It was a hazy, hot, humid day. Little Etta Green went out to play despite the weatherman’s warning for those with respiratory illnesses to stay indoors. As Etta played, she became short of breath. Within minutes the fluid in her lungs from her asthma caused Etta to collapse. Her brother ran home for her inhaler, and bystanders called 911. When she arrived at the hospital she was “bagged,” meaning that the paramedic was using a bag attached to her mouth to force air into her lungs. Her pulse was low. Dr. Sleeth whispered into her ear, “I’m Dr. Matt. I’m going to put a tube in your mouth and get you breathing right. I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you, sweetheart.” Etta was wearing a fluorescent green swim suit with a happy, smiling whale printed on the front, blowing water into the air. Dr. Matt stared at the happy whale, watching for it to move as he forced air into her lungs. Despite the best efforts of the paramedics and an entire pediatric emergency department, Dr. Matt broke his promise to Etta. She died of air pollution that summer day.
This planet of ours is finite. That thin blue line of atmosphere is all that we have to breathe, and it is an integral part of the total earth ecosystem. If we changed those light bulbs, it would keep one trillion pounds of poisonous gases out of the atmosphere, which would not only decrease global warming, but also prevent pollution-related diseases and death. “The Harvard School of Health looked at the impact of one power plant in Massachusetts and found that it caused 1200 emergency room visits, 3,000 asthma attacks, and 110 deaths every year. Nationally, the soot from power plants alone will precipitate more than 600,000 asthma attacks.” 5 The National Academy of Sciences has also recently concluded that even short term exposure to ozone – a constituent of smog – is responsible for premature deaths. In Carroll and Forrest counties, the health risk from air pollution is 10 times the national average.[5]
Jesus left us with a very simple commandment: To love our neighbor as oneself. This is a commandment, not a suggestion or a guideline. Jesus illustrated ways we can do this through his ministry and his teaching. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a Jew is mugged by thieves. As he lies groaning, a priest comes along and doesn’t even slow down. Next comes a Levite who pauses, but again, continues on his way. Finally comes the Samaritan who despite the cultural differences between himself and the Jew, binds the beaten man’s wounds, clothes him, takes him to an inn, pays for the injured man’s room and board, and promises to pay for any additional expenses. Jesus shows us by this example that we are to love all people even though it might be risky for us or make us look foolish. The priest was unaware and took no action. The Levite was aware there was a problem, but either lacked courage to help, or was a hypocrite – someone who knew what to do, but took no action. Knowing enough to have sympathy, but not acting is hypocrisy. “If pride is the father of sin, then hypocrisy is its mother.” 5
[The rich man said to his soul] , “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”(Lk 12:19-21)
Hearing stories about impending ecological disaster, pollution, overpopulation, dwindling oil reserves, and malnutrition and disease help us become aware of the many problems we face on this Blue planet, and they help remind us of the finite limits of our world. At the same time, however, the number and extent of the problems are so very huge, we may be tempted to think that there is nothing an individual can do to make a difference. Why should I recycle, when my neighbors do not?
It matters because taking a step to become better stewards of our planets resources and our consumer wastefulness is part of our Christian calling; it is inherent in the Golden Rule; it is the morally right thing to do. Our willingness to follow the Golden Rule and be good stewards of our planet should not be dependent on whether our immediate neighbor, governmental authorities, or whole nations do likewise. As Christian people it is our individual responsibility to put our faith into action. Faith results in a convicted heart – a heart that is not proud. “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do, and then not do it” (James 4:17, NLT).
What can you do? The Bishop has asked that his letter of 7 September 2007 on Earth Stewardship be provided to you. In that letter the Bishop provides ten things you can do to become better stewards of our planet. Like the Samaritan, we need to be aware of the problems and act on them. When you shop, try to purchase environmentally friendly cleaning products, goods made from recycled materials, and recycle everything you can. When shopping for a new car, consider that an SUV puts out about 14,000 pounds of greenhouse gases into the air each year, whereas a hybrid vehicle puts out about 3,000. Becoming good stewards now is crucial to us and to our children and grandchildren. We need to do all that we can now to prevent further harm to the environment and to repair it. It is our moral duty to future generations, and more importantly, it is our responsibility; it is a way to be rich toward God.
Let us pray.
Dear Holy One: Thank you for the bounty of your gifts, for the beauty of your created world, and for the sustenance you provide me every day, both physical and spiritual. Thank you for giving us everything we need in such glorious abundance – from the air we breathe to the water we drink to the food we eat. Please forgive us for taking your creation for granted, and give us the strength and will to become better stewards of your blessings. Teach us to appreciate all you have given us, and help us to restore the forests, mountains, rivers, and oceans so that they can glorify you, the Creator of heaven and earth. Amen.[6]
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Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.
Psalm 104:1, 5-25, 28-32, 34 Benedic, anima mea
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; *
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendor.
5 You have set the earth upon its foundations, *
so that it never shall move at any time.
6 You covered it with the Deep as with a mantle; *
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled; *
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
8 They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, *
to the places you had appointed for them.
9 You set the limits that they should not pass; *
they shall not again cover the earth.
10 You send the springs into the valleys; *
they flow between the mountains.
11 All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them, *
and the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the air make their nests *
and sing among the branches.
13 You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; *
the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.
14 You make grass grow for flocks and herds *
and plants to serve mankind;
15 That they may bring forth food from the earth, *
and wine to gladden our hearts,
16 Oil to make a cheerful countenance, *
and bread to strengthen the heart.
17 The trees of the Lord are full of sap, *
the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
18 In which the birds build their nests, *
and in whose tops the stork makes his dwelling.
19 The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats, *
and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers.
20 You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, *
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
21 You make darkness that it may be night, *
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
22 The lions roar after their prey *
and seek their food from God.
23 The sun rises, and they slip away *
and lay themselves down in their dens.
24 Man goes forth to his work *
and to his labor until the evening.
25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
28 All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.
29 You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.
The Lord created human beings out of earth, and makes them return to it again. He gave them a fixed number of days, but granted them authority over everything on the earth. He endowed them with strength like his own, and made them in his own image. He put the fear of them in all living beings, and gave them dominion over beasts and birds. Discretion and tongue and eyes, ears and a mind for thinking he gave them. He filled them with knowledge and understanding, and showed them good and evil. He put the fear of him into their hearts to show them the majesty of his works. To proclaim the grandeur of his works. And they will praise his holy name, He bestowed knowledge upon them, and allotted to them the law of life. He established with them an eternal covenant, and revealed to them his decrees.
Jesus told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe, for you have filled the world with abundant beauty and bountiful resources; open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that rejoicing in your whole creation we may come to understand the responsibility you have given to us as your stewards; serving you, the planet, and all humankind, so that all generations may abundantly share the assets of this earth, our island home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[1] The photo shown here was downloaded 17 April 2008 from http://www.ehartwell.com/Apollo17/.
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Marble
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Pigeon
[4] J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D. Serve God, Save the Planet. ( Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007), p.66. This sermon was inspired by this work, and other quotations from this book are found on pages 66-69.
[5] Source: msnbc accessed 24 April 2008 at http://www.msnbc.msn.com:80/id/24254926/from/ET/
[6] Prayer adapted from Sleeth, Op. Cit., 234-235.
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24 April 2008
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