by Sister Sally Ann Brickner
Today's Sacred Scripture continues to focus on the Resurrection stories. Luke sets the scene in the upper room where the disciples who had returned from Emmaus were recounting to those assembled their encounter with Jesus. Then Jesus appears with the greeting of peace. He invites his incredulous disciples to examine, to touch his body. He invites them to see his wounds, to hear his voice, to touch the place of the nails. Still they couldn't believe that Jesus was alive! In order to convince them, He asks for something to eat and they gave Him baked fish.
This story connects the Resurrection with the Incarnation -- two profound mysteries of our faith. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, became human like us. In taking human form, he did all the things that humans do -- eat and drink, love and laugh, pray and weep, sleep and die. When the Risen Jesus asks for something to eat He uses human hunger as a means of convincing His disciples that He is no ghost, that indeed, He has been raised from death to life.
In and through Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, all creation is lifted up, all creation is transformed. In the second reading, St. John urges us to listen to Jesus and to follow His commandments -- to love God above all and our neighbor as ourselves. Love of neighbor includes stewardship of the earth. Woodeene Koenig-Bricker relates some important environmental teachings of the Church in her book, Ten Commandments for the Environment, (Ave Maria Press, 2009).
Today, on Earth Day, we give praise and thanks to God for our humanity and for all creation. We recommit ourselves to steward the gifts of the earth responsibly.
Thanks, Sally Ann, for your reflection. I particularly liked the 10 Commandments for the Environment...never heard those before. Well worth pondering.