Thursday, March 22, 2012

Holy Water!


Today is World Water Day, an occasion to draw our attention to a precious commodity on which all of life on this planet is dependent. We might have huge reserves of food but without water we humans would perish in short order. All major religions include water rituals making the connection between the precious nature of water and its spiritual aspect. Of course these religions came into being in a part of the world where water was and in still is a precious commodity. In our faith one of our sacraments uses water to baptize into Christ.
Here in Canada we are blessed with abundant fresh water, which may be why we take it for granted. We use an average of about 350 litres per person per day, the most of any nation other than the States. Much of our household water use is flushed into the sewers. The truth is though that we squander water and much of our supply is locked in rapidly melting glaciers. The Great Lakes are receding and projects such as the Oil Sands use huge amounts of water in processing, as well as polluting water tables and rivers. Don't trust the TV spots which bombard us these days about how "green" the Oil Sands are.
The term "peak water" is now being used, akin to "peak oil," the point at which human demand leads to terminal decline of the resource. We may find alternatives to oil but there are no alternatives to water for the survival of species, including our own.
Today we can thank God for water and demonstrate that it is holy by treating it with respect. Here is a prayer which fits the day:
God, you created the seas, the rivers, lakes, and oceans.
It is from these waters that we have learned to find life and sustain our bodies.
Teach us how to care for the water in our world,
how to keep it clean for future generations
and cleanse it for those who need it in the present. Amen.
Comments?

4 comments:

roger said...

Don't get me going on another "sprinklers on during rainy days at golf courses" rant again!

So many people seem to talk about how important the environment is(including water), but their actions say otherwise.

I get discouraged by what I see as a widespread feeling by people that nothing matters except their wants. I see it on the roads, I see it the way people interact with others, and I see it when I walk to work each day - another layer of garbage over the previous layer.

IanD said...

Three hundred fifty litres A DAY?!

That's something to think about ... !

Amen, Roger, on your last point.

Nancy said...

Couldn't agree with you more Roger!! What gets my back up is people purchasing water bottles when we have potable water from our taps!! Our board has just passed a motion that they move toward a policy where the sales of non reusable water bottles are stopped on all board properties. We need to lead by example and this is one step in the right direction.

Anonymous said...

I have been surprised lately, when in conversation with others, about how many people are still not thinking about water. Every time I see a shopping cart loaded up with bottled water I cringe a little.