5 March. Ecological education. SEE. Joseph continued sharing his thoughts, “It doesn’t only happen in politics that people continue to side with corrupt leaders.  It happens in business all the time and can happen at schools and in families too.  We easily turn away from God, and become more and more materialistic. This applies to everyone, rich or poor and in between, particularly when economic times are tough. Well, practicing one’s personal and family faith and prayer life still have to become a new way.  Has enough been done to promote the family as a place for faith sharing, moral education and taking up environmental matters too? “

The Franciscan way. Those who follow Franciscan spirituality with its focus on all of creation are like Jeremiah’s tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. St Francis had set out alone at first on his journey of conversion but gradually other men joined his way of poverty and fraternity. Women joined St Clare, who had been one of his very early followers when she rejected her family too, to choose the Franciscan way.  It has become the choice of many millions of people over the last 800 years, as friars, brothers, priests, sisters and as secular lay people. 

JUDGE, reflect and share. Scripture: Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.  Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes. Jer 17:5-10.”   Pope Francis: From our faith experience and from the wisdom accumulated over centuries, but also from lessons learned from our many weaknesses and failures, we, the believers of the different religions know that our witness to God benefits our societies.  The effort to seek God with a sincere heart helps us recognize one another as travelling companions, truly brothers and sisters. FT274.  Regrettably many efforts to seek concrete solutions to the environmental crisis have proved ineffective, not only because of powerful opposition but also because of a general lack of interest. LS14. Pope Leo: In the 19th century, in France, Saint Champagnat founded the Institute of the Marist Brothers of the Schools. “He was sensitive to the spiritual and educational needs of his time, especially to religious ignorance and the situation of neglect experienced in a particular way by the young.” Saint John Bosco began the great work of the Salesians in Italy based on the three principles of the “preventive method” — reason, religion, and loving kindness.  DT7.

REFLECT-SHARE-ACT-PRAY. Decide how you can give time to promoting ecological and moral education in families, of all ages, as the first place where these are taught.   This is one of the Laudato si goals.