October 4 is the feast day of St. Francis - patron saint of ecology and all animals. This is a great day to bless animals, do some funky creation stuff in worship and otherwise praise the Creator. Of course, we do well when we recall the other aspect of this saint's work: care for the poor.
Leonordo Boff - Brazillian theologian in hot water with the current pope of late - has a tremendous book entitled "Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor." He captures the spirit of Francis by unting the groaning we so often quote from Romans 8 with the cries of the oppressed.
While we work for liberation - kin[g]dom building - while we create space for the spirit, while we live lives that give glory to God, we are invited into the mystery of salvation wherein ALL creation is brought into the fullness of its created being.
Blessings!
Taskforce of the Greater Milwaukee Synod - ELCA
