“In honour of Earth Week this week, Sister Ruth Johnson of the Sisters of Providence in Indiana, USA shares the poem below that she wrote to reverence Earth. The Sisters are a community of Roman Catholic women religious (vowed sisters).
The Sisters of Providence of St Mary-of-the-woods live out Jesus’ radical Gospel message by dedicating their lives to love, mercy and justice. They collaborate with others to create a more just and hope-filled world through prayer, education, service and advocacy.
Earth Rising.
Sometimes I hear voices rising from the Earth warm words – sounds that resonate and flutter leaves rustling growing green thoughts from the soil
It is alive and clings to us in ways we have forgotten It’s self-giving and “belonging” ring no more as it once did it cries in need of it pleads for us in all the ways it can
When the Earth speaks it speaks in tones for all that grows within and without it springs from well-being it speaks to all who have discovered the words to live by it speaks in a language that only those who have risen to its voice can understand it lives through their response and when they forget their birthright It speaks for itself
[Sister Ruth 22nd April 2022]
# Sister Ruth and her Community have given permission for this poem to be shared with others.
These are some of those who are the enemies of Putin. Against these he points his missiles, guns, tanks and all the machinery of war.These are they against whom his tirades and rants are aimed. They occupy his every waking thoughts. He will not sleep or rest until these dangerous and war-like people are annihilated. His soldiers who fight them indiscriminately are not that much older and they could be their brothers. But Putin wants them dead because those young lives and thousands of others are a big threat to the stability of Russia.
He has already succeeded with Elisie Ryaboukon. He would have been 14 in May. Back in March, the Russian soldiers gave permission to the people of his village, near Kyiv, to leave. They waved them good bye and wished them luck. Then, as they were crossing a field, the same Russian soldiers opened fire from all directions. Elisie, that great threat to the entire Russian nation, was shot and lay dead.
Putin must be proud of himself.
Elisie
Then there is Daniil Avdeenko who was injured in a Russian mortar attack. Six-year-old Daniil lived in the northern city of Chernihiv, which had been surrounded and bombarded by Russian forces. Daniil and his parents were injured in mortar shelling just outside their home in a residential neighbourhood. Taken to hospital, an operation removed shrapnel pieces in his head. As yet they can’t operate on his legs where there are multiple injuries and fractures. It would be far too painful to do. He may never walk again but he smiles because in the hospital he feels cared for.
Putin can feel safe now that he has taken out another enemy.
Daniil
Finally, there is 13-year-old Ilya Bobkov who managed to escape with his family from Bucha just outside Kyiv, which was under Russian control for weeks. The family fled through a humanitarian corridor which, initially led them to a run down building in Kyiv.On 24 February when the fighting started, Ilya said, “I was shocked. I had expected it to be a regular day, I’d go to school, do my homework and play games. My mother came to my room and told me to pack a few things. Then we started living in our basement. It was very scary. It was hard to get through the nights.” He is totally traumatised and will bear the psychological scars possibly for all his life.
Ilya
Once again, though, Putin can feel the strong taste of success along with the metallic taste of blood. His brave soldiers, do his bidding and the children are neutralized. He can breathe a sigh of relief.
The United Nations estimates that about two thirds of Ukraine’s 7-8 million have been displaced. What a wonderful strategy by Putin. He is guaranteed a lasting place in history!
Merciful God, comfort and console those who get in the way of war and suffer the most – the women, the children, the old ones – who are wounded and killed, orphaned and widowed, and left homeless and hungry. Touch your children with compassion that we might respond swiftly and well to the needs of those who suffer; we pray this in the name of Jesus our Lord who for love of the human race, suffered on the Cross and opened the way to a new life where all are equally loved cared for, protected and valued. Amen
Some of the material comes from a BBC News report, edited and reproduced with gratitude for their careful and courageous reporting which puts their reporters in grave danger but who nevertheless are faithful to their calling and to the truth.
My friend Joyce has sent me her latest Photo Tweet.
The little bird may seem to be a far cry from the Crucifixion of Jesus but the photo expresses something fundamental about God’s message to us on Good Friday.This little bird exudes Trust in God. There is a certain still confidence that she is being held in the love of God, who silently but surely is holding her in the cleft of the wood—in the cleft of God’s love, which is the at the heart of wood of the Cross She is held securely by God. And so are we.
A prayer poem by Ladislaus Boros, reflecting on the Crucifixion of Jesus, tells us why we can be certain of God’s deep love from us.
Crucified
“Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the Saviour of the world: come,let us adore him.”
This is what the Church singsduring the Good Friday liturgy.
Before the mystery of his death on the cross, we must fall silent. Only adoration remains. This fundamental letting go, self-abandonment, in the presence of God is already adoration.
Not simply deep adoration but the deepest possible.
Such adoration is like pure light, clean air. Through it breathes unshakeable trust.
It comes from the conviction that despite all difficulties we are held in the hands of God. As Jesus said in his last moments: ‘Father, into thy hands, I commend my sprit.
(Ladislaus Boros; Breaking through to God)
It is easy to believe that from its position of trust, our little bird is adoring God who loves her. Jesus on the Cross tells us the same. Come, let us adore Him.
Mr G's Ponderings 