Laudato Si’

Super-typhoons, extreme flooding, famine, and mass extinction. These are just few of the
many detrimental effects of the global warming, a phenomenon brought by irresponsible
conduct of the humanity towards the environment. Seeing, hearing and feeling the silent cry of
the mother earth, Pope Francis addressed these environmental degradation issues in his second
encyclical entitled, Laudato Si’ (Praise Be to You) with the subtitle, “On care for our common
home”. In this pronouncement, the Pope noted that while we are in the midst of journeying
towards the sabbath of eternity when we will permanently live in our common home in heaven,
we must come together to take charge of this home which has been entrusted to us, knowing
that all the good which exists here will be taken up in the heaven.
Reading this encyclical served as an eye opener to me. I realized that no matter who you
are and no matter what size your sphere of influence is in the society, you can create a huge
impact towards the preservation of the environment. Small acts of care such as getting just the
enough amount of food to eat so no food will be thrown out, turning off the light or water when
not in use, opting to use recyclable and reusable products and learning how to segregate wastes
at home, when done consistently, can be of great help to slow down the fast approaching effects
of global warming. I also grasped that it is our poorest brothers and sisters who are most affected
by the climate change. It is them who suffer from cold and sickness staying in their rickety
wooden houses during strong typhoons while we take solace in our cemented and comfortable
homes. It is them who lack access to potable water while we use excessive amounts. We are not
to blame that they are poor, but we have blood in our hands that they suffer more due to the
worsening living conditions and stronger natural calamities due to climate change, to which
somehow, we contribute.
We are made from threads and ashes of the earth. This is our common home. All of us
can cooperate as instruments of God for taking care of his creation. With this, I am very interested
in sharing with other people ways on how to contribute to preserving the environment and
encourage them to put it in action. Some people are unaware while some either just do not care.
After embracing the words of the Pope, I felt that it is our utmost duty to share the knowledge
to people who do not know much about the issue and open the eyes of those who just do not
care that the environmental problems we are currently experiencing are getting more serious
than it ever was before. We cannot just sit, watch people suffer, and animals go extinct due to
the lack of habitable places. We need a radical change in the conduct of humanity. We should
also see nature as God’s way of showing us a glimpse of his wonderful home in heaven.
In final, the very purpose of the creation is to glorify and honor God, and it is entrusted
upon us that we may be of service to God.