Ecology of Salvation

Hi Folks

As today is the day during which the ecology types would have us turn off our lights for an hour and think we're doing something useful, I got thinking of something...

First, something important. Today is also the day in which Christians commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  It is the only day in the liturgical calendar in which there are two gospels.

In the first gospel, we hear of the triumphant entrance.  The second gospel is a reading of the passion and death of Jesus.  We call this Palm, or Passion Sunday.

Why two gospels?

Catholics do not have an obligation to attend Mass where there isn't one.  On Good Friday, nowhere in the world is a Mass celebrated, yet this is the liturgy where the passion and death of Jesus is traditionally read.  For all the people who cannot attend the Good Friday liturgy, we have a reading of the passion on the preceding, obligatory Sunday.

There is a term in the Catholic world...Economy of Salvation.  Try as I might, I cannot get my head around that term.  When I hear economy, I think of money.  I'll try another run at understanding it another day.  Please do not ask me to explain!

I have invented a phrase of my own.  The Ecology of Salvation.

There is a lot of yakking going on about the environment.  Much of it makes no sense if you think about it for a minute or two.  People are, however, making a really big deal about our need to 'save the Earth'.  I probably didn't need to tell you this.

It is rare that you hear anyone talk of the need to save ourselves.  That is, to do our best to ensure that we and those we love, make it to heaven, through the grace of God.

The environment in which we subsist, here in the First World, is not really conducive to sainthood.  I probably don't need to tell you that, either.

We need to have a movement to rouse environmental awareness of those things that endanger our souls.  We need to fight soul pollution.

Let our pulpits ring!  Shout it from the rooftops!  Do not worship the Earth or the 'environment' (where that means exclusively the land on which we live, and the air that we breath).

And for Earth Hour, we must remember that instead of living in darkness, we must be children of Light.

Coming into Holy Week, I just this second thought of something else.  When was the last time you heard of fasting as a cause for good?  It makes at least as much sense as turning out the lights for an hour!

Fasting is a regular and required part of the Catholic liturgical calendar.  WE do it as a small way of reminding ourselves of Christ's sacrifice for us.

May be the green-types could take it up as a way of reducing their ecological foot print.  Yeah.  I won't hold my breath.

Jesus is the Light of the World!  Have a blessed Holy Week!