WEB-ONLY:
Recently I found myself reflecting on the Biblical passage where God speaks to Noah after the flood: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that was with you” (Genesis 9:9-10). For the first time, I noticed that God made this covenant not with one man, nor even with the human race, but with all living creatures.
I thought of Pope Francis’ invitation to “cultivate an ecological spirituality.” I also recalled Saint Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures” in which he calls the sun “Brother Sun” and the moon “Sister Moon,” and how he goes on to address creatures. I also remembered the story of his encounter with the Wolf of Gubbio, when he says, “Come here, Brother Wolf! I order you, on behalf of Christ, to do no harm, whether to me or anyone.”
What would this change of viewpoint mean, to think about our other partners on the mission journey?
Two years ago, our pastoral group at the Maryknoll center in Cochabamba, Bolivia, reflected on Laudato Si’ and opted for a “green project.” This project consists of making our residence and property an ecological oasis within the city. As the concrete of the city has grown around us, we offer a space for encounter with nature. The impetus for our decision was the question that Pope Francis asks: “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” (Laudato Si’ 160)
Here I introduce several companions from this project, partners on our mission journey, and invite you to awaken your heart to a spirituality connected with Mother Earth.
Catalina and Domingo are two llamas that beautify our grounds. Domingo came from the highlands of Cochabamba and Catalina came from Oruro, another Andean city. The llamas are teaching us about the culture of care that Pope Francis invites us into. They know how to choose the grasses that feed them and to reject those that do them harm. In our lives, do we know how to discern what nourishes us and what harms us?
Oso and Perla, our watchdogs, have guarded our home, especially at night, for many years. Since the Maryknoll Mission Center in Latin America closed in 2020, they have made us feel safer on this big property. With us, they are playful and offer only gladness when we come near. Does our testimony bring joy to those around us?
We have two fish tanks. The fish are of different varieties, colors and sizes. They are teaching us what Pope Francis calls in Fratelli Tutti “fraternity and social friendship.” They have learned to live together in the same space and to respect the smaller fish among them. I ask myself whether, as Christians, we build safe spaces to care for the most vulnerable of our society.
Our bees zigzag the whole property in search of pollen and water. They are helping us pollinate, to grow more flowers and trees. Beekeeping teaches us that care requires respect for the other. One cannot simply approach at will. The bees have their own function within the community, and they use a sophisticated system of communication to relay where food or water can be found, or to warn of danger. They are a perfect example of what Pope Francis says: “The whole is greater than the part, but it is also greater than the sum of its parts.” (Evangelii Gaudium 235)
Together with our cats, Paco and Mimosa, and the hens tended by Maryknoll Brother Joe Bruener, these brothers and sisters on the path encourage us in our missionary work through the values that they live and transmit. They give us a new perspective, making us more aware that everything is interrelated. Drawing on this spirituality, it becomes possible to think of creation and all creatures as mission partners on our path of service to all people.
Featured image: Maryknoll Father Alejandro Marina, local superior of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers center and residence in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is shown with llamas Domingo and Catalina. The missioner introduces them as mission partners in ecological spirituality. (Adam Mitchell/Bolivia)
