Lent 2007: Making Peace with the Earth
For the past several years I have been learning to appreciate the Christian Calendar as a means of connecting with Christ and Christians around the world. As I see it there is an inherent organic nature to the Liturgical Calendar in that it brings us closer as humans to the seasons of the earth, causing us to fast and feast according to harvests, to pray as the sun rises and as it sets, and to celebrate the coming of Christ, Lord of the Earth.
Ash Wednesday reminds us of the earthen soil of which we were born, and gives our carbon bodies a destiny – a reconciliation to the ground. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” How much more organic can you get??? We are truly God-grown; we spring up from the earth, we produce fruit (physical and spiritual), and then we die, returning to the earth that brought us life.
So this Lenten season (which starts February 21st) I am going to begin making peace with the earth. I am prayerfully considering taking a fossil fuels fast over the 40 fasting days in Lent. What does that mean? At this point I’m not sure. It may mean all crude oil, coals, and fossil fuels. Over the past several months I have been strongly affected by movies, websites and conversations regarding our earth’s fragile state. The environment is on the verge of a tipping point toward a global heat wave, and we have no way of predicting just how dangerous this will be to our climate. I wonder: is it possible to live our lives without utter dependency on fossil fuels that emit dangerous greenhouse gases into our atmosphere? I intend to find out.
Our new apartment is now set to run off of 100% wind and solar power. I am close enough to my new job that I can ride my bike or even walk. It’s possible in our town to buy foods that were grown locally and therefore don’t take as much fuel to get here. It’s a start.
This is obviously going to take some more sorting out and thinking through. I am also looking for others who want to challenge themselves to “make peace with the earth” during this season of fasting, penance, and prayer. We can share together what we hope will become a sampling of a better life – a life that is Good News not only to others, but to the earth itself! Feel free to pray about this, and email me or leave on comment on my blog if you want to talk more about this.
Ruben Goff, and 
rob horton 9:47 pm on January 30, 2007 Permalink
Solid question! I would think that some who still approach this as consumers could move about in an unhealthy manner. At the same time – we might start hanging out with a simple collective and find that God only has us with them for a season. I don’t want to be abusive with people – and if they are taking a consumer approach – they may have to consume the entire bucket of ice cream to discover that it is unhealthy.
I will think on this one for a bit.
Blessings,
Rob
Ruben Goff 6:14 pm on January 31, 2007 Permalink
I think what happens in the traditional church is that believers literally become passive. I mean passive in the sense that they do not seeking a fellowship with the Lord…which is foremost the reason for Christ’s death and resurrection. They become accustomed to the Pastor or the Presbyter becoming their priest, without ever knowing that that is exactly what happens in such settings.
When they do leave the traditional settings, for whatever reasons there may be, they leave with a vacuum that was never filled or could ever be filled by any leader, group or human institution.
So they journey, and they journey seeking a fulfillment that will not be met in any setting. This practice is all to common, and unfortunately this is what our Christian culture in America is producing.
Mark 7:44 pm on January 31, 2007 Permalink
Rob, I don’t know if they would turn from selfish indulgences, even after eating an entire bucket of ice cream. Leaving them to their own devices save some and damn others. But then again, can we really change anyone but ourselves?
Ruben, great comments! I wonder then if these wandering Christians who seek fulfillment but never find it are not foundationally seeking the wrong thing, even before they leave their traditional churches. Could it be that many people who thought they were Christians are actually just seeking to have their temporal needs met? I’d like to hear more of your thoughts on this one.