creatures

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Fr. John Peck appeal. As many of you know Fr. John is in transition and your contribution helped pay the rent, fix the car, and other necessary things to keep him going as he stabilizes his future. Fr. John is a tenacious man and will land on his feet in short order. Your help ensures that he does.

We reap what we sow. When we help others, then help is available for us when we need it in the way that we need it. Some people call it karma. I call it living within the structure of the world as it is created. All things in the created world yearn for harmony and wholeness. This is not only true of individual men and women but the entire creation.

The universe reflects the personality of its Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork, the scripture says. Things like ordered complexity, beauty, the interrelationships between organisms and the material that comprises it, the replication of processes between organisms whether simple or complex, color, movement, all reflect something wondrous that conceived of all things within the creation, brought them into being, and holds it all together.

Man is different because he lives to comprehend the purpose of the creation — that all actions and the thoughts that inform them must be directed to a higher good. This command — one that reveals that man is first a moral being — defines for the person his life and destiny. We are co-laborers with Christ the Apostle Paul says, and our work aids in the reconstruction and restoration of God’s creation.

These thoughts may not seem related to helping a man in need. But small decisions can have large consequences and often they do. How was your life changed by, say, a considerate teacher, a few key words from a parent or friend, or any other helping hand along the way?

When we help each other, the world changes. The world is not changed solely for the person we helped. It also brings a measure of harmony, order, goodness, coherence, purpose, meaning, beauty and so forth into being that was not there before. In that way we too are creators, although our creativity works towards restoring that which is already created.

The world was created good and by helping one another we partake with Christ in the salvation of it. The disciples asked Jesus what are the greatest commandments? Jesus answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, body, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Do this, and the work of Christ in redeeming the creation in which we live, is furthered.