By Fr. Dr. AJ Sebastian, SDB –
This article is Part 1 of the three-part series dwelling on the eco-philosophical vision of St. Francis of Assisi based on his love of all creatures.
The 193-nation Copenhagen summit in 2009, considered the most important meeting in the history of the world to combat global warming, nearly came to a total collapse on 19 December 2009, as their talks merely took note of an accord, which was a non-binding deal for combating global warming. The plan did not specify greenhouse gas cuts required to achieve 2 Celsius goal, to ward off more floods, droughts, mudslides, sandstorms and rising seas. UN sealed the climate deal by agreeing to limit global warming to two degrees till 2050 without having set any target for carbon cuts. The global effort to save Planet earth ended in a whimper with a face saver proposal by US led group of five countries including China, India, Brazil and South Africa.
Ecologists are alarmed by the “awareness that we have reached the age of environmental limits, a time when consequences of human actions are damaging the planet’s basic life support systems…Either we change our ways or we face global catastrophe, destroying much of beauty and exterminating countless fellow species in our headlong race to apocalypse” ( Glotfelty, 1996, p. xx). We are continually challenged by various green movements with their plea to save planet earth.
Considering “The World as Sanctuary,” Eco-philosophy sees humanity as one with nature, carrying the universe onward from inanimate matter of life, to consciousness, and ultimately to the Divine. This new worldview emphasizes the unique precious and sacred nature of our planet. The five key tenets of eco-philosophy are:
1) The world is a Sanctuary.
2) Reverence for life in our guiding value.
3) Frugality is a precondition for inner happiness.
4) Spirituality and rationality do not exclude each other, but complement each other.
5) In order to heal the planet, we must heal ourselves (Skolimowski, home.cogeco.ca).
It is Arne Naess who defined eco-philosophy as “a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium. A philosophy as a kind of sofia (or) wisdom, is openly normative, it contains both norms, rules, postulates, value priority announcements and hypotheses concerning the state of affairs in our universe” (qtd. Drengson & Y. Inoue, 1995, p. 8.).
Hence, in the realm of ideology we can speak of the need for Ecological Humanism which points towards social relationships based on the idea of sharing, and stewardship. It sees world as a Sanctuary in which we temporarily dwell, and of which we must take the utmost care. It speaks of human life having a transcendent dimension, with its eschatology, concerned with the ultimate end and meaning of life. Ecological humanism calls for ecological spirituality that takes the Cosmos to its creator (Skolimowski, home.cogeco.ca).
Recently I happened to read “Circle of Life,” an eco-poem, which draws our attention to the fact that we are part the cycle of life being one with the cosmos and all the elements of nature.
For all that can be, really is round.
Sun, Earth, & Moon rotate around
with Water & Air cylinders spouting down
true too of the rhythmic beat of sound
and the distant lights of a city or town
where animals graze from the ground
above where you too shall be found
fuel for the soil upon now drowned
as the Circle of Life keeps going round
(DarnRick.http://www.healthandfitness.com).
We form part of today’s ecological crisis and are conscious of our environmental responsibility to protect the earth and its resources. Various ecological positions keep surfacing giving vent to man’s response to the environment. Various eco-philososphies confront us with their diversified and some times radical approaches. Those who subscribe to the different approaches seek to solve the environmental crisis in their own ways, some being very subversive and revolutionary. These include Deep Ecology, Social Ecology, Earth First!, Greenpeace, Eco-criticism, Anthropocentrism, Ecofeminism, Ecosophy, Friends of the Earth, etc. As William Rueckert opines: “The problem…is to find ways of keeping the human community from destroying the natural community, and with it the human community. This is what ecologists like to call the self-destructive or suicidal motive that is inherent in our prevailing and paradoxical attitude toward nature. The conceptual and practical problem is to find the grounds upon which the two communities – the human, the natural – can coexist, cooperate, and flourish in the biosphere (Rueckert, 1996, P. 107).”
In the context of global warming and the subsequent environmental crisis facing mankind, a reading of the eco-philosophical vision of St. Francis of Assisi based on his love of all creatures being part of God’s sacred creation, make us visualize the universe in a different light.
Ecocritic like Lynn White points out that St. Francis believed in the “virtue of humility – not merely for the individual but for man as a species. Francis tried to depose man from his monarchy over creation and set up a democracy of all God’s creatures… His view of nature and of man rested on a unique sort of pan-psychism of all things animate and inanimate, designed for the glorification of their transcendent Creator…” (White, Lynn, 1996, p.13).
Everything around us forms our environment and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems intact. We depend on nature and it is imperative for us to protect the earth’s environmental resources for our survival. We need to understand that the environmental problems are human or social problems such as pollution, conservation and sustainable use resources, preservation of endangered species etc. All these call for the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems on which all life on earth depends.
Francis’ love for his brothers and sisters as other Christs is a known fact. It is recounted that once a poor man annoyingly kept begging from him. When a friar treated the beggar roughly, Francis ordered him to lay aside his habit and fall at the feet of the beggar, to seek his forgiveness: “My brother, when thou seest a poor man, behold in him a mirror of the Lord and His poor Mother. In the sick, in like manner, consider that He bore our sicknesses” (Bonaventure, 1988, p. 66).
Francis manifested great tenderness for all things, believing in the common origin of all creatures. It is said that he often saved lambs that were being led to the slaughter house, being reminded of Jesus the Lamb of God. while in Rome, he used to keep a lamb with him in reverence for Christ the Lamb of God. Later he kept the lamb in the care of a noble lady whom the lamb accompanied to the church as though it had been trained in spirituality by the saint ( Ibidem, p. 68). At Grecio, once, a hare was brought to the man of God. He placed it on the ground for it to fly to safety, however, the bird leaped into his bosom. He held it with tender affection and let it fly off into the sky ( Ibidem, p. 69). While passing beside the Lake of Rieti close to the hermitage of Grecio, a fisherman brought him a water-fowl, which he accepted and allowed it to fly away. Finding the bird refusing to fly, the saint raised his eyes to heaven in prayer and commanded the fowl to fly away. It did obey instantly and flew to freedom. (Ibidem, p.69). From the same lake someone brought as fish for Francis who addressing it as his brother, set it free into the lake waters. But the fish kept leaping around his boat in great affection until he blessed it to depart (Ibidem, p.69-70).
While walking near the Lagunes of Venice, he noticed a multitude of chirping birds on a tree. Taking the cue from the birds, he told his companion, “Our sisters, the birds, praise their Creator; let us therefore go into the midst of them, and sing the Canonical Hours to the Lord” (Ibidem, p.70). At St. Mary of the Angels, Francis was constantly reminded of prayer by a chirping grasshopper. Being inspired by such an insignificant creature about God, he asked the grasshopper, “Sing , my sister grasshopper; rejoice and praise the Lord thy Creator” (Ibidem 70). When Francis was sick at Siena, a nobleman sent him a pheasant. The bird always remained with him and refused to be separated from his presence. Whenever the friars took it out to the vineyard, it flew back to the saint (Ibidem, p.71). All kinds of birds came chirping melodiously around his cell, when he was at the hermitage of Alvernia. He declared, “I perceive, brother, that it is the Will of God that we should abide here awhile, seeing that our sisters, the birds, thus rejoice at our presence” (Ibidem, p.71). A falcon is said to have built its nest where Francis lived. It became so friendly, it began to cry every night to wake him up for the Divine Office (Ibidem, 71).
When the holy man lived at the hermitage of Grecio, the inhabitants were threatened by a pack of ravenous wolves that devoured people and animals, besides destroying their corn and vines. He asked the people to make amends for their evil lives and repent. When they did penance seeking the mercy of God, Francis asked the wolves to be off from the village (Ibidem, p.72-3).
Once when he was on his way to Bevagna, he found a multitude of birds of all kinds assembled together. As they flocked to welcome the saint, he admonished them: “Oh, my brother birds, you are bound greatly to praise your creator, Who has clothed you with feathers, and given you wings wherewith to fly; Who has given you the pure air for your dwelling-place, and governs and cares for you without any care of your own” (Ibidem, p. 102). Hearing his exhortation, the birds spread their wings and expressed their great joy, swelling their throats and opening their beaks. The saint covered them with his tunic and blessed them. On another occasion when he came to preach to people at Alviano, he found some swallows building their nests, making a great deal of noice. When he couldn’t be audible, Francis bid them, “My sisters, the swallows, it is now time that I should also speak, for you have spoken more than enough. Listen to the word of God, and keep silence until the preaching is ended” (Ibidem, p. 103). The message was taken with great reverence by the birds who remained still in obedience.
To be continued next Friday…
Dr. A.J. Sebastian sdb (b.1953) is a Catholic Priest belonging to the Salesians of Don Bosco, Dimapur Province. He is Professor (rtd) & Former Head of the Department of English, Nagaland Central University, Kohima Campus, Nagaland, where he taught the Post Graduate, MPhil & PhD Students of English Literature for 16 years. A Gold medallist in M.A.(1988), he was awarded PhD (1992) in the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. The research was undertaken in collaboration with the G.M. Hopkins’ Centre at the Gonzaga University, Spokane, U.S.A. He also holds a P.G. Diploma in Psychological Counselling.
He has authored / edited 21 books/ Anthologies and has authored over 90 papers and articles for National and International Journals and Anthologies. His interests include Indian Writing in English, Motivation, Career and Management Studies. Currently he serves as Resource Person at Don Bosco Institute for Development & Leadership, Dimapur, animating teachers and students of Schools, Colleges and Universities. He operates a student helpline website for assisting school and college students: www.studenthelpline.co.in.
He can be reached on 07005022503 & email: [email protected]