Humble and Obedient Stewards of God’s Creation
Beloved Friends,
We have seen, from last Sunday’s homily, how the virtue of obedience together with the virtue of humility, born out of a devoted faith, are of such great necessity that without them, it would be vain to deny that our own efforts towards human sanctification and holiness would be insufficient. Now let us examine these virtues in relation to being a good steward. Let us see how an obedient and humble steward takes good care of his master’s property. And the question put to us today is, are we humble and obedient stewards of all of God’s creation? For, we can fittingly say that the rich man we have just heard in the gospel of St. Luke, represents God Himself, and the steward who was reported to Him as squandering, wasting God’s possessions, is mankind whom God put in charge of His creation. “Have dominion over the whole creation” – Genesis 1:26-30. Elsewhere he says, “God and Lord of mercy, who has made all things by your word, and by your wisdom have formed humankind to have dominion over the creatures you made and rule the world in holiness and justice…grant us wisdom that sits by your throne,” – Wisdom 9:1-4, that we may judge all things wisely.
In a recent conversation I had with a well-trained landscape architect, I learned that the word “dominion over nature” does not mean the forceful control or the manipulation of nature, rather, it means
“humbly restoring the beauty and the essence of nature.”
I also learned that our own physical and spiritual healing flow from the goodness of nature. In his own words, the architect said, “Healing begins, as I learned from designing a 12-step meditation trail, with Step One: admitting we have a problem. I believe that time spent in nature is that precious, the earth surrounds us with such positive energy, or an energy that perhaps causes us to be uncomfortable [well, because nature imposes a certain sacred silence on us, to think of what is most essential], encouraging us to step one [ acknowledging a need to be in dialogue with nature].
Healing is not a rosy path, and yet, in some way, is a path of Roses with more thorns than flowers. Deep down, I believe, we all want to heal and to resurrect, just as we want to see the Roses flower. In this, Nature becomes a revelation of Divine love,” – Randal Romie, the landscape architect.
You see my friends; God’s beautiful creation demands our full attention and obedient responsibility. Nature speaks to us with such simplicity, it speaks a language of love, God’s language of love. When the lilies, the roses, and the sunflowers reveal their absolute beauty, it is all oriented to the glory and praise of God, thanking Him for the opportunity to show their gratitude and love. If nature looks gloomy because we have persecuted it, we will also look gloomy, in a land of gloom. And as humble and obedient stewards of God’s creation, we are expected not to neglect our own physical and spiritual well-being. For, we are gifts even to ourselves since we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are the custodians, and the guardians of God’s image imprinted on us and on all creation. And it is comforting to know that God has appointed, as our aid, Angels, “as ministering Spirits sent to serve, for the sake of our Salvation – Heb. 1:14. We need to make use of our Guardian Angels. The Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother as well.
Returning to the question at hand, are we acting responsibly and in humble obedience to God’s command of restoring the beauty and the essence of nature? [And here we must think deeply of our own lives], Or we are simply squandering God’s possessions, including misusing our own bodies, giving ourselves over to unholiness. Is that justice really? How can we expect fruits from a dead tree? And if the soil is so dry and poor, how can it nourish health and good plants. Surely it will not. As a matter of justice, humility, and obedience, we cannot throw what is holy to the evil one -Matt. 7:6, lest he tramples it underfoot and then turns on us and tears us to pieces. In a spirit of gratitude, our physical and spiritual well-being we preserve and offer as a gift back to God. We must give something to God. What are we giving back to God? A collection of bones after we have wasted our youthful energy and beauty, indulging in dishonest pleasures of this world? The lilies, the roses and the sunflowers are giving back their best to God. What are we giving back to God? Listen to the Psalmist say, “I praise you because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know,” Psalm 139:14. If there is anything good and beautiful about us, we must give glory and praise to God, and then offer this goodness back to God, not to the devil.
Let us take the example of our Blessed Lord whose praises we sing. As the good steward of creation, he preserved the dignity and the purity of his body and soul, and then gave it back to His heavenly Father as an offering for the sins against His holiness. “This is my body… this is my blood that is given for you.” And now, because of our Lord’s gift, His body he offered as the bread of our life, life everlasting. Let us learn from Him, who is humble and obedient steward of the beauty of nature. Let us restore that essential and intimate connection between mankind and the gift of nature, for, it is through the beauty of nature that God speaks most powerfully to us.
Comments