P. A. Chacko SJ
Earth Day is our Mother’s Day. Planet earth is our Mother. Without her we cannot have our existence.
She provides us with a base to exist. We cannot exist in the air. She facilitates the process of our belonging to the human family on earth.
She gives us food to eat. She supplies us water to drink. She gives us land to cultivate. She helps us to breathe good air.
She provides us paths and roads to travel on. She takes care even of our last stretch by providing us with a place to relax on our journey to eternity.
She is very thoughtful, care-giving and ever provident. But, we often forget her blessings. We hurt her. We burn her forest. We suffocate her with fume and gas. We pollute her with dirt. We cause her drought and flood by our wanton living. We contaminate her air and waterways.
We dig her hills and forests to take away minerals like gold, copper, bauxite, silver etc. just to add to our wanton wealth. We lacerate her face by mining, excavating, quarrying etc. We disturb the seasons and cause irreparable harm
Because of our wanton living we harm Mother Earth. Shall we continue to do so?
Rather, shall we not honestly admit that we have made mistakes? Shall we not make reparations by taking care of Mother Earth? Let us learn to love our Mother Earth. Tell her so and show it in deeds!
Let us teach our children the value and identity of Mother Earth. Let us teach them to pass on to their next generation Mother Earth as a beautiful gift.