The Transcendental Participation

 

The Transcendental Participation 

by Sr. Marylou Rodriguez, CCVI

God showed us how the power of contemplation and actions can free the people from slavery and oppression (John 5:8).  God wants our participation.  Human beings can participate in creation or destruction. They can contribute to good or to bad in the world.   

As human beings, we thrive through cooperation, collaboration, and just social interactions.  We naturally are attracted to beauty, goodness, and things that make us joyful, but we can become immune to what is wrong. 

We can make bad choices repeatedly and refuse to recognize those. Or we can take time to contemplate our actions and make choices to cultivate the good. We have the power to break the convenient sinful habits with something that is good. 

Someone pays for the wrong convenience that we opt to choose.  The fracking and burning of fossil fuels producing various single-use disposable items, and mass-produced resources in capitalist economy contribute easily to global climate crisis.  Someone who is poor and vulnerable, with the least means to mitigate the risk, eventually can reap the bad effects of our actions. 

What alternatives do we have?

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Development and the Laudato Si Movement worked together to produce the film called “The Letter.”  It shows the frontline leaders who advocate for the Care of our Common Home as they voice their respective concerns to Pope Francis.  A large portion of the global carbon footprint comes from the developed countries due to massive production and consumption.  Thus, the developed countries need to take the big leap of faith and take the big steps in fulfilling the commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Sr. Mary Lou Rodriguez in behalf of the Incarnate Word Sisters Justice, Peace, and Creation Committee with friends invited the Village at Incarnate Word to have the film "The Letter" in Laudato Si anniversary week. The film was produced for people to learn to care for our Common Home. The film includes frontline leaders from all over the world advocating for social and ecological causes in their own respective areas.  

The event was held on May 25, 2023, at 2:30 pm beginning with a prayer led by Sr. Josetta Eveler. The prayer helped to unify hearts and mind to pause and to ask God for guidance in understanding and how each person might take action.  The gathering included a tea break and at the end a short reflection in which participants were invited to share what they felt and what they would be taking with them.  One of the participants shared that he did not know what was happening in the other parts of the world.  He admitted that there are things that we take for granted.

Sisters Consuelo, Juanita, and Angela encouraged everyone to remember that we are part of the solution.  They highlighted the importance of looking at our daily consumption and our actions (e.g., recyclables, reusables, etc.).

Jesus asked the blind man to pick up his mat and walk.  He did not magically heal the blind man and continue to leave him in a place of despair. The man had hoped for salvation for thirty-eight years. Jesus wanted him to actively participate in his cure.  The solution to Climate Change will not magically happen.  We have the abilities to put the solution into action.  God wants us to pick up our mat and walk.