Quote of the Day: Kwame Senu Neville Dawes, a Ghanian poet of the land, has written, “The whole earth/is filled with/the love of God.” That is our starting point: the Creator bestows love upon every human, but it extends to every other living being as well. When we read that iconic phrase, “For God so loved the world, He gave his only Son…” we sometimes move past the motive, to the blessing itself. Our Creator is in love not only with you, but with other every breathing or photosynthesizing being around you as well.
Commentary: If our reflections and participation in global celebrations such as Earth Day can begin with the notion that we live in a global full of love of the wild, love of the home, love of the flora, fauna and microbiota, well, doesn’t that change everything? We are not alone, and our own care and affection for others can extend in every direction.
Suggested Action #10: Today, as you walk from one place to another, offer what Franciscan Murray Bodo calls “the prayer of the cosa,” a blessing for every living thing you recognize on your way. Chant their names! Become the Walt Whitman of your neighborhood, offering praise for every love-smitten leaf of grass along your path!
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Gary Paul Nabhan aka Brother Coyote is a professed member of the Ecumenical Order of Franciscans, a graduate of the Living School, a conservation biologist, orchard-keeper and story-teller.