February 16.  Noah. Esther and her brother Frank started thinking up a modern day Noah story. “God looked down at the earth and frowned at the layers of filthy cloud that blocked the view. “I wonder how my creatures can breathe this polluted air and I know what it is doing to their lungs.  I created them with carefully balanced bodily functions, and the same goes for the other systems, animals and even plants are dying as the whole system has gone out of balance.  Let’s send them a warning that things are not right?  If they don’t listen stronger measure will be needed, because it isn’t just for the sake of human beings but for the whole system where everything is interdependent.”         

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him to his heart.  So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air for I am sorry that I have made them.“ But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you  pairs of clean and unclean animals. Gen 6:5-8, 7:1-5.  

Pope Francis: Although the wickedness of man was great and the Lord was sorry, through Noah, who remained innocent and just God decided to open a path to salvation and gave humanity the chance of a new beginning.  All it takes is one good person to restore hope!  The renewal entails recovering and respecting the rhythms inscribed in nature by the hand of the Creator.  LS 71   These ancient stories full of symbolism bear witness to a conviction which we today share that everything is interconnected and that genuine care for our own lives and our relationships with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others.  LS 70