Our Gift to the Earth

27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 5, 2014

Mathew 21:33-43

“The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit. (Mat 21:43).”

Earth is one of the greatest gifts for humanity. Yet, when greed enters into the picture, the earth turns to be the source of horrible conflict within human societies. The perennial struggle takes place between the landowners and the tenants. In the Gospel, we read of the benevolent and extremely patient master who is abused by the possessive workers. However, when we go to the Philippines and some other countries, we learn that thousands impoverished tenant-farmers have been fighting for years to expect justice and due rights from their landlords. They and their family are practically dying on the very fertile ground they cultivate. The spat intensifies, and the disputes often become so ugly and take a bloody turn. One party bullies, threatens, and even violently eliminates the other party. All means are justified as long as the land ownership is secured.

The conflicts over earth are not limited between the owners and the working class, but also involve entities from government, businesses, to simple tribesmen. In Indonesia, especially in Borneo Island, the used-to-be largest rainforest in the world is rapidly decreasing due to logging and land-conversation into giant plantations. Undeniably this destruction contributes to the global warming and other side-effects it brings. In other parts of the world, both big corporations and small miners are extracting precious minerals from the earth and often than not, the use of hazardous chemicals and heavy machines, the mining severely damages the land. Then, the land-ownership issues grow even to another decimal level as the poor indigenous people are losing their homeland because some big companies supported by the government are grabbing their lands for profitable purposes. At times, this struggle over earth evolves into senseless wars and bloodshed that eventually lead into more destruction to mother Earth.

It is true that this earth is a gift of God to us, but this mentality is not enough and even may orient us into abuses. Since it is ours, so we can lord over it! We grab its soil, suck its resources, and poison its life. Unthinkable, yet we are the main culprits!

Earth is a gift to us, yet we must not forget that we are also a gift to the earth, otherwise we are mere a curse to it! The book of Genesis tells us how God created a wonderful earth first before Adam and Eve so that they may have a suitable environment to live in. In fact, we are fashioned from the dust of the earth, and this is why we call her Mother Earth. When we respect and love our mother, certainly we do not hurt her. We try to make her proud by growing to be the best persons we can be. That is our gifts for our mother. The same goes with mother earth.

In the Gospel, Jesus makes himself clear that the vineyard will be taken away from the unworthy tenants and given to rightful ones. I believe Jesus’ word hits us most here. Unless we become the dutiful and responsible workers, the earth may be taken from us and we all shall suffer the grave consequence. The question remains: have we strived to become a gift for our Mother Earth?

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP