God’s wonderful vs man’s wasted world

In Genesis 28-31, “God created mankind in his own image, he created them; male and female. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

Not only was God’s world for mankind good, it was perfect! It had provided for all that mankind needed!

God’s world was, as Louis Armstrong reminds us in his song “A Wonderful World”.

I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom, for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces, of people going by

I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?” they’re really saying, I love you

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, they’ll learn much more, than I’ll ever know, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world! Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

Today, do you also say to yourself, yes, what a wonderful world?

What do you think God will say about our present world? Maybe this?

I see clouds of smoke, fallen trees too, dried, devastated land, filth, flies, and stench all around.

And God asks humankind: Where is my wonderful world?

I hear babies cry, in hunger and need, I see the poor and my unprotected earth.

Again, God asks: Where is my wonderful world?

Today, people and planet continue to remain unprotected because of human activity, especially by those who treat the earth as their own personal/family/nation entitlement, those who produce and consume as if the earth were solely theirs.

And the results?

Global warming, climate change (that is affecting our planet and all mankind but most especially the poor) continuing crises of hunger, homelessness, unemployment, environmental destruction, extinction of many living creatures.

Scientists have called everyone for solutions (and to be part of the solution) to the human-created problems of the world.

Even Pope Francis, in his Laudato Si, has called for all to unite and restore God’s wonderful world back to you, to all people and the whole planet, and back to him.

Gratefully, Cebu City Hall employees who recently attended the training on Composting and Options for Segregated Household Waste signified they want to be part of the solution not the cause of the problems of our present world.

When shown the slides of Pasig River before and after its rehabilitation, the participants agreed and noted that basura/trash spelled the difference between an ugly/filthy vs. a beautiful/ wonderful world.

Will the 1,360 and remaining/expected 9000+participants commit/sustainably practice AGAPE (a garden per ecosystem/per household) through kitchen waste composting?

Will they practice DEO (daily eco-offering), make charcoal from used paper, and find options for other waste types, not dispose/throw unsegregated wastes that end up in Binaliw?

Will they remember/actualize this song’s lyrics: “God has given us the power to create the world anew (if all) touch the earth” with gentleness, with love?