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 Reflections
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Just think... you're
standing at the edge of a forest or at the edge of a pond... what would
your thoughts be? Would you think about your problems? Probably not.
What you might think about is the grandeur of the scene before you, and
of God, who created it all. In your mind, and minds are good at this,
imagine a magnificent mountain range, with forested and snow-capped
peaks... wouldn't you really feel privileged to be able to enjoy the
grandeur of God's creation? I would, and I have... in my younger years
when I did a lot of traveling. |
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Winter in
Yellowstone National Park can be magical. Deep snow or iced-over trees
depending on the weather, form a carpet of nature at it's best. And in
autumn, there is a carpet of color on all of the trees in the Northern
States and parts of Canada. Once, I drove into Indiana from Ohio. I
encountered a hillside of low shrubs so beautiful, decked out in all
colors of the rainbow. It is hard to deny there is a God when one looks at
the splendor of this place called Earth, yet people do this every day.
When life goes well, they thank God for His love. When there is tragedy,
it's God's fault. All His love and goodness is suddenly forgotten. We
cannot think like that! And we shouldn't. Besides a very beautiful earth,
in which we live and all have had a hand in destroying it through certain products we
purchase or underwrite, He has made us in His image, and He has given us a
free will. A will to love Him ... or not. If we don't love Him, He will
not miss us; but he still loves us as much as He loved his only begotten
Son, Jesus Christ. What a beautiful gift!
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God has also
given us animals, domestic and wild. I used to band (tag) birds for thirty
years for research (by others) in a program directed by the Department of
the Interior. It began as a hobby with serious interests when I was about
24. It ended ca. 1994, when I was employed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in Florida (for ten years). It was a marvelous adventure that
brought me very close to nature, and it was the cement that kept me close to
my Catholic Faith, even though I didn't always live a model life. Take, for
instance,
 this
colorful Prairie Warbler. I've banded many of those. They're not very big
but they are little delicate jewels that migrate long distances. This, and
other warblers are neo-tropical migrants. Pressures of more people, more
housing, diminish deciduous forests in USA, and need for agriculture and
other resources have greatly diminished forestation in South America. We as
a people have not taken good care and practiced stewardship of God's green
earth.
In our own
way, we can prevent further destruction of the neo-tropical rainforests and
the deciduous forests, particularly in the States along the East Coast of
this country. We can accomplish this by choosing the right people to
represent us in Congress, and we can pray. It's not just about the birds and
the scenic looks... trees keep our air clean through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis changes sun
energy with the help of chlorophyll (green leaves) into chemical energy and
produces essential life-giving/life supporting oxygen. It filters our carbon
monoxide, and it plays a major role in preventing the "greenhouse effect."
So you see, green forests aren't just for the birds. The trees are a gift of
God, too. Let's use them wisely. Next time you want to chop down that tree,
ask yourself... is that really necessary?!
Fred
Schaeffer, SFO
2/15/2005
Photos: National Park Service (top 3); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(bird). |
Ecology Index
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