February 18. Jack, the catechist, continued his sharing about Lent.  “When I read how Moses speaks about life and death I woke up to the drought that exists in parts of the country from time to time.  Animals and vegetation die for lack of water and human beings suffer too. We pray to God for rain but also have to accept responsibility for how our actions have contributed to global warming resulting in drought. 

Moses spoke to the people, “See I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil.  If you obey the commandments of the Lord by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments then you shall live and multiply and the Lord your God will bless you in the land. Deut 30:15-20. 

OUR WORLD – A FAMILY OF FAMILIES. St Francis recognized all creatures as family and called them Brother, Sister and Mother Earth. For us, as families, our home and those who live with us, are our first experience of “the world.” As we grow the vista opens up to include more people and more places.  Relatives, neighbours, friends and enemies, special people like teachers, health workers and strangers all play a role in our lives. Places beyond our house, our street, town, country, the wider world and even the whole universe are our extended world. These are all made up of families of various kinds. Living creatures, plants, animals and human beings have the ability to continue to reproduce, grow, mature and die, leaving the next generation to continue the species. Non-living elements of creation, sun, moon and stars as well as water, air, soil too are also members of the family of creation. Pope Francis: Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection.   Each is willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness.  Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things. LS69. Reflect, share, act, pray.  How can we repent of our choices of evil instead of good?  What does Moses in speaking of life and death tell us about being life-giving and preserving creation?