I have a story that some of you have heard before. It happened some years ago, when a college student called me and said, “Let’s get together. I’ll buy you coffee.” Of course I agreed. It involved two of my favorite things . . . talking and someone buying something for me. We met at a coffee place. I ordered my coffee (medium decaf latte) and then he orders and says, “Can I have that in a mug?” And wow, that was the learning experience as I am holding my disposable cup with plastic lid.
He didn’t say, “Priest, you are hurting the environment by using a disposable cup.” He didn’t chastise me. He didn’t scold me. He simply MODELED for me an option of what I could do.
This past Thursday was Earth Day. This is nothing new. We’ve had Earth Day on April 22 since 1970. And we all know what we “should be doing” . . . use less this, don’t waste [said with eye rolls]. It’s like preaching. The easiest homily to give is one that makes you feel guilty. For example, “You’re a sinner. You didn’t do this right.” Those are easy. If any of you need some guilt, see me after Mass. I can spread it on you like a farmer fertilizing his/her field (and you know what farmers are spreading on their fields at this time of year?)
The hardest homily to give . . . is to inspire people. That is, to help them become whom they are capably of becoming. As Jesus said in verse just before today’s gospel, that is in John 10:10 “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the fullest.” And the best way to inspire people is not to nag, belittle, shame. For example, telling someone that they need to stop smoking, rarely works. Or saying, “You need to pray more” doesn’t work.
What works is when you inspire someone. That is, tell them what motivates you to do “such and such.” Tell them your “why story.” If you want someone to pray, tell them why you pray. If you want someone to come to church, tell them why you come to church.”
And the GREATEST inspirational speaker of all time . . . was Jesus. For example in the way he describes himself in the gospel this weekend. He calls himself the GOOD shepherd. He wasn’t the strict shepherd, or the shepherd who is constantly hitting the sheep to get them to obey. He is the good one. As we hear time and time again . . . Jesus was of love. As you heard in the gospel, that’s why the Father loves him . . . because he loves us, and shows us a way to live. Or as the disciple of St. John wrote in the second reading, “See (realize) what love the Father has bestowed on us.”
So there are things that we all can do to help the planet. We listed them in the worship aid. These are part of a presentation the Molly Weyrens, our Pastoral Associate and I did as a talk for this month’s adult education series. Check it out at our website.
And I don’t care if you don’t believe in Climate Change or do, these are good principles to live by:
v Enjoy FRESH AIR! In the spring and fall open the windows of your home or car to circulate cooler air instead of turning on the air conditioner.
v Be Mindful of what you waste - Can items be recycled or re-used in your house? Perhaps put up a sign near your trash can at home as a reminder.
v Cut down on junk mail – Contact unwanted businesses that send you catalogs or other mailings and have them remove you from their lists.
v Use safer cleaning supplies – Use as little product as possible. Vinegar can be used on many cleaning surfaces! Use environmental-friendly products.
v Conserve water! - Only use as much water needed for the task at hand. Cut down on water used for brushing teeth and doing the dishes. Water lawns intentionally – Water them either at dusk or dawn so as to reduce the amount of water needed.
v Use your car less – Ride your bike, walk or take public transit when you can.
v Cut down on grass in your lawn – Native plants require less water and maintenance and also provide more food sources for birds as the warming planet changes their habitat. Mowing grass produces dangerous carbon.
v Eat less meat –If all of us swapped one meat meal a week for an all vegetarian meal, it would cut emissions. Try it a few days a week to start.
v Buy a re-usable water bottle – Cut down on your use of plastic water bottles that only add to our landfills. Plus the water is usually better from the tap!
Also, pick up one item of trash whenever you walk outside.
And why should you do any of these things? Good question. If you prefer polluted streams and lakes to clean one . . . don’t do any of these. If you can’t stand nature . . . don’t do any of these.
If you think that we have unlimited natural resources, or that you are entitle to use what you want and let your children’s children fend for themselves . . . don’t do any of these. See how guilty homilies are?
Some people say to me, “Well there’s so much to be done. I can’t fix it all.” And I say to them, “Correct, so do only one thing.” Choose ONE thing you could start doing, or stop doing. Just one. And maybe by you doing your one thing, that might inspire her. [Point in the different direction] And when you do your one thig, that might inspire him . . . and on and on.
Pope Francis wrote in his landmark document, LAUDATO SI: ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME “We must regain the conviction that we need on another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.”