Pro-life

INTRODUCTION

Earth is not just home to humankind but to, at least, six million other species...In this sense, we can truly say that climate action is a pro-life issue that should involve all of us.

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It was with great joy that I read through the latest encyclical of Pope Francis – Laudato Si. As expected, its impact resonated in an outpour of voices of praise for Pope Francis’ courage in pointing out the sinful ways humanity has used and abused our common home – the Earth – producing disastrous, not to say catastrophic, consequences on human beings and also on the sustainability of life on earth itself. But Francis is no prophet of doom; he clearly points the path ahead and calls for ethical action in order to make the planet livable for all and, particularly, for the poor who are the first victims of the ecological tragedy we are causing.
It would be too much to expect that all voices would be in harmony with the strong statements of Pope Francis. Dissonant opinions have also been expressed. Could this be the reaction of those who see their material interests being affected? After all, the evils we have inflicted on earth – production of massive non-biodegradable waste, pollution of natural resources and of the air we breathe, massive deforestation, just to mention a few – have turned our home into a messy place.
In Laudato Si, Pope Francis points out the sicknesses devastating our planet and, therefore, human life. He also points out the road ahead which, in summary, we could see as a call to be pro-life! This does not mean just to avoid death or fight abortion but to truly choose life. Not my life, but life for all the living! Earth is not just home to humankind but to, at least, six million other species on which we depend for survival and our ecosystems are all interconnected. In this sense, we can truly say that climate action is a pro-life issue that should involve all of us. In practical terms this implies:
To place the common good above our selfishness. It is time to stop exploiting God’s creation for our own personal interests, subjugating the idols of profit and consumption to a more ethical approach. It is time to start tending the garden without abusing it.
To overcome our passiveness with an ethic of responsibility. To protect the environment is to save lives. Climate change affects, in a particular way, the poor and most vulnerable. To protect them is the task of all.
To go beyond treating the symptoms. There is no more time for palliatives. We have to tackle the roots of the problem by replacing consumption with self-restraint and sacrifice; greed with generosity; wastefulness with a true spirit of sharing; apathy with active stands; masqueraded concern with true love for God’s creation.
As I write down these words, the sweltering heat wave in southern Pakistan has already claimed more than 1,000 lives. In India, just a few weeks ago, a similar tragedy happened to almost 2,000 people. Most of the victims were the poor who had no commodities like home-cooling appliances, refreshing drinks or even electricity. Climate change and the call to care for our common home is no longer just a scientific issue; it is an ethical imperative demanding radical transformation of politics, individual lifestyles and concrete options that they may benefit the common good.
Laudato Si reminds us of our interconnectedness and interdependence, placing us, once more, in that same garden of the Creator where we, time and again, are invited to choose life!

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