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Q's
& A's
Is There Hope for the
Earth?
A just and sustainable society and world are
not an optional ideal, but a moral and practical
necessity. Without justice, a sustainable economy
will be beyond reach. Without an ecologically
responsible world economy, justice will be unachievable.
To accomplish either is an enormous task; together
they seem overwhelming. But "[a]ll things
are possible" to those who hope in God (Mk
10:27). Hope is the virtue at the heart of a Christian
environmental ethic. Hope gives us the courage,
direction, and energy required for this arduous
common endeavor. Saving the planet will demand
long and sometimes sacrificial commitment. It
will require continual revision of our political
habits, restructuring economic institutions, reshaping
society, and nurturing global community. But we
can proceed with hope because, as at the dawn
of creation, so today the Holy Spirit breathes
new life into all earth's creatures. Today, we
pray with new conviction and concern for all God's
creation: “Send forth thy Spirit, Lord,
and renew the face of the earth.” (U.S.
Catholic Bishops, “Renewing
the Earth.”) |
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