Mother’s Day: Nature and the Bible and Richard Rohr
Richard Rohr views Nature itself as a primary Bible.
“If you scale chronological history down to the span of one year, with the Big Bang on January 1, then our species, Homo sapiens, doesn’t appear until 11:59 PM on December 31. That means our written Bible and the church appeared in the last nanosecond of December 31. I can’t believe that God had nothing to say until the last nanosecond. Rather, as both Paul and Thomas Aquinas say, God has been revealing God’s love, goodness, and beauty since the very beginning through the natural world of creation. ‘God looked at everything God had made, and found it very good’ (Genesis 1:31).”
Richard Rohr Daily meditation, Center for Action and Contemplation November 16, 2016.
Joannaon her first visit to Santorini
I believe my daughter has known this truth since her birth. She is an original tree hugger, spent her growing up years exploring the woods behind our home and now takes our grandchildren there to look for “specimens”. She spends hours at the beach walking and swimming. She has a master’s degree in Environmental Studies and Forestry and Creative Writing and now is an amazing writer about the environment. I could write a book about things my daughter has taught me. I know when I am depressed or overwhelmed, I can go and sit outside or walk and I soon realize there is something greater than myself and my problems. With the events of the recent election, my daughter only found relief by taking blankets and pillows and lying down in the forest of her backyard for 2 hours. This could be the best advice when I am seeking spiritual guidance. The silence and contemplation and centering is best done outside in Nature waiting for direction.
So on this Mother’s Day, I give thanks for our three children who have taught me so much and have been so gracious and thoughtful to me and have raised their children to be and do the same. But I especially thank our daughter who keeps pulling me back to Nature and doing the same for the six nieces and nephews who adore her.
Joanna