An Act of Justice for Today – By Dorothy Corrigan

Theological Reflection – Sunday April 28, 2013

Dorothy Corrigan is a Presentation Sister and a former secondary school administrator. Dorothy holds a Masters in Educational Administration from Ottawa University, a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University, Chicago, and a certificate in spiritual leadership from The Institute for Spiritual Leadership, Chicago. Dorothy is presently a member of Presentation Retreat Team whose mission is the promotion of consciousness through the New Story. She lives in St. John’s, NL.

Image by Visible Spirit

Seeing Earth, the greatest religious symbol of our time, suspended in space, has changed us forever. Our former images of God, heaven, earth, humans, no longer hold true. A new reality is emerging. We humans are required, now, to take our place in a Universe where all is one; all is interconnected and interdependent.  Humanity’s common creation story is birthing a new worldview, calling for a new way of thinking about our Earth home, a new way of being in and relating to that home, a new way of being human.

A great spiritual awakening is sweeping our world as we tell the sacred narrative of the unfolding Universe. With this awakening we receive new sight. Beliefs that have kept us captive for too long are being replaced by beliefs that are breaking the fetters and letting us go free. With this awakening we become more aware of our dependence, not just on one another, but on the earth on which we stand. Reconnecting with Mother Earth is helping us reconnect with ourselves.

Humanity’s common creation story has the potential to bring us back to a relationship with the natural world that will be mutually enhancing. Thomas Aquinas says: The order of the Universe is the ultimate and noblest perfection of things . . . the whole Universe together participates in and manifests the Divine.

To begin to understand where we fit in this unfolding Universe, we need to know our origins. We need to tell and embrace the whole story of our 13.7 billion-year old Universe. As I see it, there is no greater act of justice than telling this story. We most especially need to tell this story to parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers, so that they can tell it to the children. When we understand the sacredness of our Earth as Mother, we will know why we act to protect and preserve her and all her creatures, including ourselves.

In the past, we were told what to believe. We did not have to think and were not permitted to question. Is it not an act of justice to lead both children and adults to question and to think for themselves? Is it not right and just to claim science as our benefactor, to bow in gratitude to those men and women to have brought us to this day?

Jesus, in the words of Isaiah, proclaimed as his mission: to set the people free, proclaim liberty to captives, to give new sight to the blind, to bring good news to the poor.

How is my spirit held captive? Where do I need new sight? What is the Good News I long to hear? Is the perpetuating of old theology keeping my spirit poor and oppressed?

An act of justice for our time is to tell the New Story: to teach the human as an original blessing, the Earth as our Mother, and God as the Wisdom and Sustainer of all.

And the truth shall set us free.

PRAYER

Listen, all you seeds in the earth,

buried in your earthen tombs,

pierce the soil with your tender stems

to resurrect a dance of sun and rain.

Father of Fire, Mother of Mystery,

teach us the lesson of Springtime,

when all creation comes alive

in the richness of resurrection.

Remind us that nothing dies completely.

Remind us that death is not an endless winter

but a new stage of meaning and being,

in the unfolding mystery whose name is Life.

May our very beings

move in harmony with Nature,

and with the vitality of new birth.

Release our souls from the grip of winter,

Father of Fire, Mother of Mystery,

and teach us the wisdom of Springtime.

We make this prayer through Jesus,

Your Son, our brother,

Who brings Spring into our lives,

and Life into our Springtimes. Amen