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“Active Faith”

 

In the 1980s, the Diocese ran a “Show your spirit” campaign: one of the most striking images was of the earth as seen from space.   The caption was, “if it’s not running right, speak to the original owner”. 

Today is being celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Prayer for Creation.  We honour the world God has gifted to us, and give thanks and praise for our Creator.  For the author of the Letter of James God is the Father of lights, with whom there is not turning or shadow due to change.  And yet we live in a world that is accelerating into climate crisis.  How do we find the courage to put faith into action?

Part of the Anglican baptismal covenant is “to strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation and respect, sustain, and renew the life of the earth”.  So we are invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to come together in prayer and action as a spiritual imperative.  The Season of Creation, which runs from September 1 to October 4, is supported by the Anglican Communion, the World Council of Churches, and many other denominations.  This year, the theme is “to hope and act with Creation”.  Christians share the call to protect our common home on earth: to be a kind of “first fruits” of what is possible in God’s creation.  After all, Jesus prayed “your will be done on earth as in heaven”.

Too often in history, land and resources are treated as personal possessions which are there for our taking.  Why should we care much about the resources or the future or the people that get displaced along the way?  But our faith teaches us that “Creation is not an object that has been created for human use, but rather a subject that we are called to relate to and collaborate with as fellow creatures” (from Season of Creation 2024).  Whether we are the exploiters or the exploited, we have reached a point in human evolution where this generation’s decisions really matter.  Some may choose not to act because they are not directly affected by the suffering of creation.  Others may be frozen into inaction or despair in the face of the difficulty of change.  There is a third way for people of faith.  We are to be doers of the Word. 

Hope of God making a difference can motivate us.  Hope is about trust that our action makes sense even if we do not see the fruits of our labours.  It is the instrument that can overcome our natural tendency to apathy or flight.  We act not just for a better future, but for God’s future, pointed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In the face of certain death, he opened a pathway for new life.  He makes possible a reconciliation of all creation.

Our folly is thinking that if we just avoid all the difficult discussions and choices that we will keep ourselves unstained by the world.  But just sitting in a corner and praying isn’t enough.  The writer of James challenges us to engage in the compassionate work of justice.  In James 1:27 he sums up what real faith is about: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”  By the world here he is not talking about planet earth but societal structures and powers.  Those who are marginalized are always impacted disproportionately when it comes to how humans have hurt the environment.  And those who have the most to lose often do not have the loudest voice in bringing change. 

Whose voice are we hearing?  If we do not listen to the cries of creation, groaning in labour to bring something different about, then we are not very likely to act, are we?  The example given is like a person who looks in the mirror but doesn’t really see the details of their reflection.  They go away and immediately forget what they were like. It takes courage to take a long hard look.  It takes patience and dedication to listen beyond the everyday.  But there is a blessing that comes from seeing yourself not just as an individual but as a member of the human race and kin to all life on earth.  Here and now God urges us not to hide from the light of truth but to embrace its power to change.  Instead of existential dread, we can choose hope. 

During this next month, Sundays are being held up as a special time to reflect on the day of creation (as the first day of the week) and the day of resurrection (the beginning of the new life of creation).  During this period, perhaps we can find ways to talk about environmental choices, sustainable practices, educational opportunities, and advocacy for the wellbeing of the earth.  Next Sunday at 10 am, the three Anglican parishes of New  Westminster are going to gather in the cathedral of creation, otherwise known as Lower Hume Park.  Although there will be an early service at 8 am, there will be no 10 am service on this site.  Instead, we can transit, bike, or carpool over to Hume Park to praise our Creator.  The details are on our parish website and in the weekly newsletter.

We will also be starting a book study on “Wildlife Congregations” this Tuesday evening online.  I have one extra copy of the book available after this service,  and they can be purchased nearby at Wildfires bookshop on 12th Street. 

What other ways can we together or as individuals be doers rather than merely hearers?  This is our first time celebrating the Season of Creation, but our of our conversation could come projects that help us live into our baptismal promises more fully.  Every little step we take is a signal of hope that we believe this fragile earth, our island home, is capable of being renewed and healed.  With God’s help.  Amen.