We are living in a time of environmental degradation and social unrest, with mass demographical shifts, religious conflicts, migrants, refugees, inequality and other challenges connected with the nature. These social and ecological issues are inter-connected. According to some climate advocates we are at the brink of ‘no return’. As the climate gets so hot it is not possible to reverse it. The fast ice-melting phenomenon will lead to a disastrous drought globally, leading to mass starvation. The years 2014 to 2023 is marked as the hottest years in 150 years and by 2100 this will reach a disastrous level of 3.2 degrees increase.
The world order has changed drastically since December 2019, with the coming of Covid-19. The world is united more as never before. The world should never be the same. There has to be totally new concepts, new attitudes and new life style. Universal unity is noticed more with conviction that WE are one, that we cannot survive just as a single nation or individual. Adaptation is the key to the new situations as it comes on, through cooperation than competition. We need total attitudinal changes and live life differently through big thinking, short-long term planning and quick decision making capacity.
This is the post-pandemic time to learn always something new in the new reality, be self-dependent, be an entrepreneur, be self-employed. Above all we have be spiritual and live in cohesion and in harmony with the rest of creation. Threat-prone species that have tried to destroy other species have disappeared in the past, and will disappear in future including human species that are endangering the rest of the nature. As human being, we cannot be threat to other beings through our materialistic and consumeristic life style. All these things we will have to do consciously with hopeful conviction and eco-activities, protecting the nature and all within it.
According to Jürgen Moltmann, Christian hope is a result of life itself and its personal capacity to overcome troubles and tribulations. It consists not in utopia of faith, or wishful hope or false optimism, but in actual change of life, its customs and practices. In short, it is a call for transformation through active personal approach and responsibility by abhorring all structural evils. Therefore, in order to meet the climate justice first there must be economic and environmental justice for all. It calls for changes in existing social, economic and juridical structures.
For example, the rising ocean and radioactive waste that contaminate the water and atmosphere are great threat to humanity. A global action is needed to curb global warming, for mankind to survive. There is no return from disinvestment by Churches and religious institutes from fossil fuels, the attitudinal changes towards nature and climate justice. There is not return from positive function for climate justice. We cannot walk back from an ecological spirituality in order to save the earth. This is the moment, here and now, for a new, deeper and inter-connected eco-consciousness. Now is the time to promote basic ethical and moral values for care of creation. It is the core element of living today.
Life in Cosmic Context
It is a test for everything and everyone with a resilience of economy, religious faith and life. A time to get back to mother earth and enjoy the fruit of human labour. The pandemic is likely to impact 2.7 billion workers (81%) of the world. In India about 400 million workers (90%), the informal economy are at risk of falling deeper into poverty. There will be an explosion of poverty and deaths. We cannot claim to be the sole proprietors of properties and economy, instead, make the financial administration participatory, with greater transparency, accountability, and responsible use. In short, we have to become “Creator’s faithful caretakers”.
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].