Stewardship: Part 2 of 3

This is the 2nd of 3 Discourses on Stewardship.  Part 1 was a brief attempt to Inform the Public.  Part 2 discusses The Spiritual Aspects of Stewardship, and Part 3 will provide some action steps we can take to be better Earth Stewards.

Part 2: The Spiritual Aspects of Stewardship

The Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh was asked
what we need to do to save our world.
“What we most need to do,” he replied,
“is to hear within us the sound of the earth crying.”

Around the world, leaders of the great religious/spiritual traditions respect and care for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants.  These spiritual leaders have been taught that, despite diversity in teachings and traditions, it IS our spiritual duty to care for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. 

The Scriptures very clearly state our human responsibility to the Creator/God for the care of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants.  Over and over throughout the bible, starting at the beginning of Genesis through the end of Revelation, mandates regarding our role and responsibility as Earth Stewards are clear.

Despite the clearness of these scriptures, Earth-based spirituality was banned by the early Christian Church in Rome.  As a result, many modern-day Christian and Jewish spiritual leaders have not heard or read this teaching; just as often, those that have heard or read it, have dismissed and/or forgotten the teaching.

“… the ox knows his duty, but humans have forgotten their Lord.” Isaiah 1:3

The Bible tells us that Mother Earth was created with humans in mind. We were created from the dust of the earth. 

”The first man is out of the earth and made of dust …” Corinthians 15:47

“And Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul.”  Genesis 2:7

“In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.  For dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3: 19  

“For he himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.”  Psalm 103:14  

“All are going to one place.  They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust.”  Ecclesiastic 3:20

Being but a speck of dust, in the cosmos, at large, connects us to the earth. 

“God . . . did not create it (Mother Earth) simply for nothing [but] formed it even to be inhabited.”  Isaiah 45:18 

The Creator/God endowed Mother Earth with everything that her inhabitants needed, not just to exist, but to joyfully flourish.  Many micro-ecosystems enable life to flourish.  

 Early on in the bible, humans were given stewardship of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants.  To tend and keep the garden is one of the first mandates in the bible regarding the care of Mother Earth and her inhabitants.  

“And Jehovah God proceeded to take the man and settle him in the garden of E′den to cultivate it and to take care of it.” Genesis 2:15

We were also given dominion over creation and charged with stewardship of its bounty.

“Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28

“For every species of wild beast as well as bird and creeping thing and sea creature is to be tamed and has been tamed by humankind.” James 3:7  

All who serve the Creator/God are Earth Stewards.  To tend and take care of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants is a great honor and privilege.  To be entrusted to tend and take care of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants is also a great responsibility. 

 As Earth Stewards for the Creator/God, we are allowed to utilize Mother Earth and her inhabitants.  We are not, however, given a license, or free reign to abuse, rape, ravage, pollute or ruin in any other manner, any part of her or her inhabitants. 

“We … do not destroy the harmony of nature … We care for and nurture our environment, trying to be all-forbearing like Mother Earth.  This gives us union with all existence, all the creatures which live in the world: wild animals, little crawling things, even men.” (San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico)

As a whole, humans are not living up to the spiritual responsibility we were mandated to fulfill.  Rather than cultivating Mother Earth and taking care of her, and all her inhabitants, we abuse and desecrate our environment to such a degree, that sacred substance has all but disappeared. 

The way that we treat Mother Earth and her inhabitants, reflect our individual and collective values.  The second mandate given by the Creator/God, to humans, is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Ignoring and/or neglecting our spiritual responsibility to care for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants, directly contributes to the suffering of our human and non-human brothers and sisters. 

Around the world, more than 50% of all of the problems humans currently face can be directly and/or indirectly linked to environmental issues. Polluted drinking water, genetically modified seeds and food, toxic chemicals via agricultural herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, growth hormones, etc., are all major causes of death and disease. Barren soil and poor crops play a significant role in urbanization, poverty and hunger. The list goes on and on.

When we act as good Earth Stewards, we care about Mother Earth and all her inhabitants.  This includes, but is not limited to:  the trees, the fields, the plants, the air, the rivers and oceans, the hills and mountains, the wild animals, the livestock, the domestic animals, the birds, the fish, the reptiles, the insects, etc.  We recognize that each has an intrinsic value which does not include being a resource/raw material to be exploited for human consumption and/or commerce. 

Mother Earth and her inhabitants exist for all of us, as well as for future generations. We must not destroy it to meet our immediate wants.  We each have a spiritual duty to leave the world in a better state.  When our actions show respect for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants, we are exhibiting love for the Creator/God, which is the first mandate given to us. 

“Let all creation rejoice before the Lord.”  Psalm 96:13 

Let us fulfill the mandates to love the Creator/ God, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to care for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants.

Let us Pray:

The manifestation of each of your children is beautiful and each contributes to your beauty. A clear lake, a green pine, a pink cloud, a snow-capped mountain top, a fragrant forest, a white crane, a golden deer... these miraculous manifestations of life are all your children and each one of them enhances and magnifies your beauty. Your children include millions of species, each with its own language. Since you are our Mother, you understand all these languages, including the languages of humans. You are a planet, Mother of all beings, not just of humans, therefore we feel very at ease every time we talk to you and offer you our prayer. We are all your children, and at the same time, we are you, for you are fully present in each one of us.

There are those of us lacking right thinking, who consider this place on which we live to be separate from the Pure Land. They advise us to reject this land and to aspire to be reborn in a faraway Pure Land. They do not know that if their minds are calm and pure, filled with love, if they have the capacity to transform compost into flowers, to use mud to grow lotuses, then they will see that their afflictions are in fact realizations and that this very land is already the Pure Land. They do not know that their way of perceiving has a lot to do with whether or not this is the Pure Land. Each physical manifestation on your body, such as a floating cloud or a falling leaf is sufficient for us to see the no-birth and no-death, no being and no non-being nature of reality. We then can appreciate and enjoy life fully, without being fearful or worrying about being or non-being, having or not having, increasing or decreasing, being the same or being different.  (Thich Nhat Hanh, Intimate Conversations with Mother Earth: The Earth is Not the Environment—the Earth is Us)

 

So it is, sealed in trust, faith and truth, in the Sacred Divine Light/Jesus. Amen.

Please join us next week as we outline some action steps we can take to be better Earth Stewards.

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The Lost Art of Discernment: Part 2 of 2

The formatting is acting up again; this week we seem to have some color ... lol

In a nutshell, it could be said that discernment is the “mindful consideration” of a subject. It is the conscious act of going beyond our individual, pre-conceived views, judgements and perceptions. 

Discernment is cyclical and consists of an external and an internal component. 

The external component of discernment pertains to actively researching a topic, to gain understanding. It is the practice of comparing and analyzing what we already believe we know, with information we read, see or hear.  

The internal component deals with comprehension and personal integration of our research, via meditation and personal reflection.  It is an interior search, it is the process of determining the Creator’s/God's will for us, and the ability to carry it out. 

(Discernment is) “Knowing what to do, how to proceed, and how to respond when the issue is not visible to us.”   Peggy Moerbe

King Solomon emphasized the importance of practicing discernment.  

My son, if you will receive my sayings and treasure up my own commandments with yourself, so as to pay attention to wisdom with your ear, that you may incline your heart to discernment; if, moreover, you call out for understanding itself and you give forth your voice for discernment itself, if you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasures you keep searching for it, in that case you will understand the fear of God, and you will find the very knowledge of God.  When wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge itself becomes pleasant to your very soul, thinking ability itself will keep guard over you, discernment itself will safeguard you, to deliver you from the bad way, from the man speaking perverse things, from those leaving the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness. Proverbs 2:1-5, 10-13

Discernment helps us:

·        determine the value and quality of our individual views, judgements and perceptions

·        perceive subtleties (grasp and comprehend that which is not obvious)

·        discard any old or new information that is misleading or irrelevant

·        recognize truths that resonate within our hearts

·        practice humility

·        self correct

·        set our priorities straight

·        exercise good judgement

·        gain wisdom by making wise decisions, especially during stressful/trying times

·        cultivate a close relationship with the Creator/God

Discernment requires time and personal effort. As mentioned earlier, discernment is cyclical; there are many steps to take to complete a discernment cycle.  The process is the same, regardless of how many times we have gone through the cycle.  

Here is the process:

·        Abandon the notion that we always know what is best.  

·        Pray to the Creator/God for an open, receptive mind and heart: Because truth is constantly changing, it is important to have an open mind so we can let go of old knowledge that is no longer valid.

·        Ask the Creator/God for the help of the Holy Spirit.

·        Actively dig for information, as if searching for a buried treasure. 

·        Isolate and focus on the main points presented in our research; this will help us understand the development of the subject at hand.

·        Ask the Creator/God to help us understand/comprehend information found in our research.

·       Analyze new information: Put information received to the test; see if it is truthful.  How does this new information apply to us, individually?  Do the results of our research resonate as truth within our hearts?  If  not, do not automatically assume that it is false; we may simply not be ready to receive it yet.  Instead, continue researching and meditating on the subject at hand; in time, the truth will be revealed. 

“Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions.”  1 John 4:1

·        Pay attention to intuition; it does not lie.  Intuition is the spark of light within each of  us that provides us with an innate knowing/sense of awareness that comes to us without explanation or proof.

·        While digging for answers, wait for the Creator/God to respond.   

·        Meditate upon how new found information relates to the Creator’s/God’s purpose.

One who is trying to make spiritual progress should attempt to … see things objectively … without being influenced by  emotions or passions. Discerning whether something is the Creator’s/God’s will, or the (D)evil’s will, requires calm, rational reflection.  The Creator’s/God’s will brings us to peaceful, joyful decisions. The (D)evil’s will leads us to make quick, emotional, conflicted decisions. Paraphrase, St. Ignatius of Loyola 

·        Meditate upon how to integrate and apply new ideas into our lives

·        Practice honest self-evaluation: Do we need to make personal adjustments in our thinking/beliefs? 

·        Abandon our personal views/judgements/perceptions when it becomes obvious that we are wrong.

·        Integrate our new found truth(s) into our hearts.   

When we consistently practice discernment, integrate our new found truths into our hearts, and apply new ideas into our lives, we grow spiritually. Over time, we take on a new personality, and the current cycle of discernment is complete. Each completed cycle brings us closer to the truth. 

If we make the conscious effort to fill our minds and hearts with the truth, we will gain wisdom, insight, and discernment.  A humble person who puts forth this kind of effort will indeed be able to get to know the Creator/God.
 
Let us gives serious attention to what is really deep inside of ourselves. Let us use our minds to acquire accurate knowledge of the Creator/God. Let us meditate on these things and seek to apply them. By doing so,

You will know the truth, and truth will set you free. John 8:32

So it is, sealed in trust, faith and truth, in the Sacred Divine Light (Jesus Christ). Amen 

Hypocrisy

“Hypocrisy”

Hypocrisy is NOT failing to practice what we preach; it IS pretending to have beliefs, opinions, virtues, feelings, etc. that we do NOT actually possess. Religious/spiritual hypocrisy is pretending to have moral or religious beliefs/principles, etc., that we do not adhere to.

“A hypocrite is one who acts contrary to what they say or what they believe.” (Jeremiah 42:20)

All forms of hypocrisy are deceptive. Oftentimes, hypocratic deception not only deceives those around us, it deceives us as well, and corrodes our well-being.

"Your health is bound to be affected if, day after day, you say the opposite of what you feel …" (from Doctor Zhivago)

When a hypocrite's words and actions do not match, anothers faith can be destroyed. Religious/spiritual hypocrisy is one of the main reasons that people to turn away from religion/spiritual teachings. Every wisdom tradition teaches us that judgments we place upon others, resonate with us because they are, in some way, self-judgments.

Rather than seeing others as hypocrites, it will serve us well to look deep within ourselves before deciding to cast the first stone. When we see the faults of others and refuse to see our own faults, we are hypocrites.

"Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye." (Luke 6:42)

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” (Romans 2: 1)

One of the saddest things about religious/spiritual hypocrisy is that outwardly, we may appear faithful, but we are nothing more than actors, playing a part.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matt. 23:27-28).

When our religious/spiritual practices are hit-or-miss, we remain in bondage; when we are play acting or faking it, we can not connect with or be healed by the Divine Light/Jesus. Our religious/spiritual practices needn’t be a full time job, but our thoughts, words and actions, do need to come about naturally from our heart, on a full time basis.

“His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.” (Psalm 55:21)

“Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:7-9).

If we are unable to put into practice the moral or religious beliefs/principles, etc., that we profess to believe in, we are being hypocrites. There is simply no excuse to hypocritically adhere to a religion/spiritual teaching or tradition that we not believe in.

“A little less hypocrisy and a little more self-knowledge can only have good results in respect for our neighbor; for we are all too prone to transfer to our fellows the injustice and violence we inflict upon our own natures” (C.G. Jung, 1966). Two Essays on Analytical Psychology, Collected Works, Volume 7, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.)

Let us not be religious/spiritual hypocrites. The same Creator made all of us; we are all part of this ONE Creator – no matter what name we choose to call Him, so let us take the time to look at our own lives, before we judge others. Let us consciously strive to understand our own dark or hidden side; it is part of who we are. After we have shed light upon our own dark side, we can shine our light more brightly for others.

“Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.” (John 2:9) “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:6)

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. (James 3:17) “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” (1 Peter 2:1)

So it is, sealed in trust, faith and truth, in the Sacred Divine Light.
Amen