27 February. SEE:  Family relationships, human, animal and plant.  Bruce mused over the types of relationships in creation as portrayed in the Bible and described by Pope Francis.  He shared with the group, “Adam and Eve broke their relationships of perfect harmony with God. In the story of their sons, Cain and Abel, this breach continues. It was envy that led Cain to murder his brother.  Can that be any worse than murdering a stranger? Should the special family relationships place greater guilt on the act?  God accosts Cain and asks him, “Where is your brother?”  Cain answers, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” That question echoes across the centuries still. It is applied to other human relationships, but is there not a natural and special significance where the intimacy of family is involved?  And if we were to treat all others as family should there not be less violence in society?    

How would this attitude apply in animal life?  What are types of relationships between different animal families, or within families?  Elephant Dawn by Sharon Pincott is an interesting and moving book giving details of large group of elephants, their extended and intergenerational family units, their care and their grieving for the loss of members. Although they were meant to be protected poaching and killing for their tusks happened all too frequently. David Attenborough in The Trials of Life describes how different animals have different male-female levels of commitment. Some mate for life while mother-child relationships are often the primary ones. Much can be learned from a study of animal behaviour. Plant behaviour towards kin is another area for discovery.  We are beginning to accept that our human relationship with the earth has been harmed by distorting or misinterpreting our understanding of the mandate of “dominion” over the earth and all other creatures. 

JUDGE, reflect and share.   Scripture:  If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go, first be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift.  Mat 5:20-26.   Pope Francis:   The joys and sorrows of each of its members are felt by all. That is what it means to be a family.  If only we could view our political opponents or neighbours in the same way that we view our children, our spouse, mother or father. How good that would be. Do we love our society or is it still something remote, something anonymous that does not involve us, something to which we are not committed? It is important to insist on the rights of the family and not only those of individuals. The family is a good which society cannot do without. AL44 . St Francis’ response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual or economic. His disciple St Bonaventure tells us that from reflection on the primary source of all things, he would call creatures, no matter how small, by the name of brother or sister.  If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on our immediate needs..   LS 11.

ACT AND PRAY.  Starting with our own pets and even small garden creatures how can we grow in appreciation of creation in our closest families of nature and what special care is required from us?  Make family prayer and faith sharing on creation an important family practice.