Hope & World Wildlife Day

O Lord, how manifold are your works!

    In wisdom you have made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.

There is the sea, great and wide;
    creeping things innumerable are there,
    living things both small and great.
 There go the ships
    and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

 These all look to you
    to give them their food in due season;
 when you give to them, they gather it up;
    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

                                                       Psalm 104: 24-28 NRSVue

 I mused about the Noah covenant yesterday, a reflection on the first of the biblical promises which are part of the scripture readings for this season of Lent. This is a myth in the best sense of that term, a seminal story that continues to inform conversations about the preciousness of a diverse and abundant planet, our "ark",  and the Creator's love for Creation. 

Somehow I missed the opportunity to make the connection with World Wildlife Day, so I'll circle back around. We're reminded regularly that the climate crisis we now face includes global heating and weather unpredictability. We are also witnessing the planet-wide loss of habitat for creatures and the decline of biodiversity in the air, in our waters, and on the land. 

The statistics are bleak but there is also evidence that when we change our foolish ways recovery is possible. Wherever nations have established marine reserves fish return in abundance. The end of whaling (for the most part) has meant that a number of species of whale have rebounded in numbers. The banning of DDT 50 years ago has meant that bird species such as ospreys and bald eagles have recovered in much of North America, including locally. We spotted an eagle pair at their nest on the weekend, just north of Belleville. Reader Roger mentioned in a recent comment that they have fishers on their property in Prince Edward County and wild turkeys, once wiped out in Southern Ontario, have been reintroduced and are...everywhere!

As Christians we are hopeful people, and in just a few weeks we will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, the first-born of all Creation. We affirm that Jesus came into this human life because "God so loved the world" not just humanity. We can look for the signs of hope and live with a determination to honour God who is the Creator.