“There are people dying. If you care enough for the living, make a better place for you and for me.” This is a wonderful line from the song “Heal the World.” When people destroy forests, pollute rivers, waste resources, throw garbage anywhere, cut down trees, and contribute to climate change, it is not only nature that suffers but also humanity. Baha dito, baha doon; landslide dito, landslide doon; polusyon dito, polusyon doon; usok dito, usok doon. The worst part is that these problems are caused by the negligence of irresponsible human beings. Nakakalungkot, nakakabahala, at nakakapanghinayang. Our theme for this week, “Care for Creation,” invites us to care for, protect, and heal our common home, which has been entrusted to us by the Lord. It challenges us to recognize that caring for nature also means caring for human life.
Will there still be green fields, blue oceans, clean rivers, forests, glaciers, or even fresh air in the future? It is a simple question, but even a fool would stop and think about it. The answer depends on what we do today. If we continue to neglect nature, act irresponsibly, and abuse its resources, the beauty and blessings we enjoy today may no longer be experienced by the next generation. We have already gone too far. The warmth we feel every summer and the cold breeze of the Christmas season are all different now. Think about our future sons, daughters, and even grandchildren. Will they still know what green fields look like? Will they still have blue oceans and clean beaches where they can swim every summer? Will the birds in the sky still have trees for shelter? Will the fish in the ocean still have coral reefs? Will wild animals still have forests to call home? Or will future generations only see these things in pictures and hear about them in stories from the past? Because of our negligence and continuous abuse of nature, the world they inherit may no longer be as beautiful and livable as the one we have today. Kawawa naman sila.
The words “if you care enough for the living” challenge us not to remain indifferent. When we care for our environment, we do more than simply plant trees or clean our surroundings. It is a love language. When we protect nature, we also protect the people, animals, and future generations that depend on it. Ilang bundok pa ba ang miminahin? Ilang puno pa ba ang puputulin? Ilang ilog pa ba ang pababahuin? Gaano karaming usok pa ba ang ikakalat? Care for Creation is more than a theme. It is a responsibility, a reminder, and a calling. As the song “Heal the World” reminds us, if we truly care for the living, we must do something to make this world a better place. We may not be able to heal the whole world by ourselves, but our small actions can become part of its healing. We may already be late in addressing the problems of the present, but we can still act early for the future. Let us turn our swords into plowshares. If we care enough for all of creation today, perhaps future generations will still have a beautiful world to call home. And here is a gentle reminder: God created human beings to care for creation, and that is our mission.
Mass for the Care for Creation by PH-Delegation
