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Greetings, Everyone!
As some of you know, 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si'. Dated May 24th, 2015, and published on June 18th, 2015, the document invites us to celebrate the beauty of our "common home" and to behold, in awe and wonder, all that God has created for our delight. While it is unflinching in calling humanity to account for having reduced our planet to "an immense pile of filth," Laudato Si' also offers the hope that ecological conversion will bring healing and renewal to the Earth and her creatures. Profoundly moved by this encyclical, I self-published a "primer" for teachers and preachers who might wish to support Pope Francis in his plea for environmental justice. That was in 2015.
On Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, The Environmental Protection Agency announced a shift of mission: instead of focusing on protecting the environment and public health, the EPA will now prioritize lowering “the cost of buying a car, heating a home, and running a business.” In an interview with CBS, former EPA Director, Gina McCarthy, said this was tantamount to "shifting to a golden age of pollution." By rolling back 30+ environmental regulations, EPA Chief Lee Zeldin was responsible for "the most disastrous day in EPA history."
Caring for the environment is a spiritual issue. Regardless of politics, it is in everyone's interest to safeguard the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we consume. Pollution, waste, rampant consumerism, contaminated land, the extinction of species, the piling up of garbage, unequal access to resources-- these are all crimes against the Earth. No one is innocent, but each of us has the opportunity to change bad habits and become more conscientious when it comes to our stewardship of creation.
I have just updated Preaching and Teaching Laudato Si' to reflect the decade that has passed since its publication; the second edition is available on Amazon both as a paperback and as a Kindle e-book (the professionally formatted version will be available next week but the draft version of the second edition is "up"). I hope it will be of use for some of you in preaching, teaching and personal reflection; your best resource, however, is the encyclical itself:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
Lenten Blessings,
Elizabeth
PS Please share this issue!
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SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Link to Sunday Readings
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
up the mountain to pray. While he was praying, his face changed in appearance, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared in glory and spoke with him of the exodus he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but waking up, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As the men were about to leave, Peter said,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses,
and one for Elijah.”
But he did not comprehend what he was saying.
While he was still speaking, a cloud cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After this, they found Jesus was alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.
Luke 9:28b-36
Every time I read this Gospel, I find myself returning to the same thought: that the transfiguration of Jesus was more of a manifestation than a transformation. What I mean by this is that Jesus himself did not change but that, for a few amazing moments, the disciples beheld his divinity. True, Luke tells us that "While he was praying, his face changed in appearance, and his clothing became dazzling white"; however, I imagine that if Peter, James and John had looked closely enough, they would have beheld Jesus' glory whenever he prayed, not just on that mountain top. My interpretation, then, shifts the focus from what "happened" to Jesus to the disciples' ability to see his essence. It was as though the veil separating them from "the real Jesus" suddenly lifted, leaving them in fear and trembling. Moreover, the presence of Moses and Elijah revealed that Jesus' mission was aligned with both the Law and prophetic tradition, while the voice from heaven affirmed that Jesus was the long-awaited Holy One.
Regardless of how one interprets the Transfiguration, it gives rise to an important question: What will it take for us to be so transformed that we manifest the glory of the One in whose image we were created? Unlike Jesus, each of us has obscured the Light within by poor choices, negative attitudes, sinful behaviors, and addictive tendencies. Dismantling the false selves we have constructed takes time, courageous introspection and the willingness to change. Perhaps we are used to controlling others or manipulating them to get our way. Perhaps, having made an idol of success, we are prone to flaunt our achievements rather than acknowledge God as the source of all our gifts. Perhaps we have kept ourselves small to avoid being rejected. Or perhaps we deny the empty places inside ourselves by finding comfort in addictions...
For each of us, the "false self" needs to be stripped away so that we can turn from "shame" and from our preoccupation with worldly concerns. Through Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we will begin to remember that
"our citizenship is in heaven"-- not just in the after life, but right now, in this world. For heaven is a state of mind, not just a place, and like Jesus, we can carry heaven within us, wherever we go...
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