A Theology of the ‘Garden’: Reflections on CBCP’s call for the Care of Creation (PART 1 of 2)

Introduction

The book of Genesis narrates how God in His love and glory, created the universe, the sky, the seas, the mountains and living creatures – plants, trees, animals and all of nature, the visible and invisible elements that sustain life. On the 6th day, God created our first parents, Adam and Eve in His image (Genesis 1:26-28), and blessed them together with all the creatures, exhorting them to be ‘fruitful and multiply’.

In creating man, God also gifted us with free will, not as a force for evil but from which flows the energy to do good and to help others participate in His great work of creation. When our parents fell from grace, God in His everlasting love never left us but gave us His only Son, Jesus, as the ‘way, the truth and the life”. This magnanimous act brought us back into God’s family and to fulfill our purpose – to know, love and experience His goodness.

Goodness is the essence of our earthly existence. The serpent in the Garden of Eden that brought the downfall of Adam and Eve, now symbolizes the temptations we face in our midst, exacerbated by humanity’s disregard for the integrity of God’s creation and the abuse of the spiritual gifts He had bestowed upon us.

We believe in the mercy and benevolence of God. We manifest our faith through an unwavering conviction that our efforts will help restore the bliss and glory of God’s creation by building ‘gardens of Eden’ today. There is a saying that goes ‘faith informs our work’. Let us resolutely build communities where the overall health and well-being and safety of the people are safeguarded and upheld.

Context

Destructive human practices such as indiscriminate dumping of garbage especially plastics, the exploitation of natural resources by huge companies and unscrupulous businesses have resulted in massive losses in our country’s resource base such as lands, forests, mangroves, ecosystems and watersheds. Furthermore, the disturbing ‘throw-away culture’ involving the senseless, careless and frightful disregard of objects and most horribly – humans – babies and victims of war and crime, that have become prevalent in many places, both here and abroad.

These unspeakable conditions have further contributed to massive poverty, loss of moral certitude, food shortage and devastating calamities such as typhoons, flooding, and landslides. Except for a few countries that took decisive steps to revert to the use of biodegradable materials, sadly, the Philippines had dismally lagged behind despite the campaign to ‘reduce, re-use and recycle’.

The Archdiocese of Davao through the Social Action ministry has been at the forefront of the work to change the landscape and people’s habits to realize the maxim so strongly enunciated by the late Pope Francis in his encyclical: Laudato Si: the care of our common home’.

Pertinent activities launched since the last two years have encouraged GKKs to serve as co-creators in building God’s kingdom on earth’. Backyard gardens were established, and many women and youth vigorously set up backyard gardens, organized seed banks, and undertook studies on proper care and nurture of vegetables: the modest project led to a more tangible practice of the FAITH – ‘Food Always in the Home’. Links with other concerned government and civic groups such as the Local government units and the Davao Association of Catholic Schools (DACS) further bolstered the stream of activities that communities realized were beneficial, physically and more importantly, spiritually.

To a great extent, Pope Francis’ encyclical reinforced the calls previously issued by Pope Paul VI and Pope St. John Paul II who during their respective pontificates pushed the need to address the distressing problems then facing the environment and the population.

Pilgrims of Hope

The Jubilee year first started by the late Pope Francis continues to this day. We are encouraged to discern on our faith imperatives towards a meaningful Catholic Christian life. The promotion of urban gardens, encouraging the collection of seeds, waste segregation and organic fertilizer production have been among the practical efforts undertaken, an expression of hope that something good will emerge from this initiative. These may have been few, sometimes varying in terms of size and volume, but from the participants’ point of view, important and purposeful.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) through document ‘Care for creation’ highlighted the participation of human beings, designated as co-creators of God in pursuing what He had started in the Garden of Eden as the core message. This was an essential part of God’s creation to continue His presence on earth but then Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptations of the devil. Confronting this scourge is a persistent challenge for us: how do we live a life of humility, patience, honesty, kindness and unflinching awe of God’s goodness?

With the ‘garden’ as a metaphor, both in the practical and spiritual realms, let us dissect and reflect on what and how we live our experience as God’s creation. It is hoped that these thoughts will contribute towards changing our lives for the better, not only for ourselves, but for others.

On the personal level

What’s in it for me? Some individuals, whether male or female, ask this question before getting involved in any plan – whether it be institutional, for intellectual growth, business, or in our case, pastoral. When inviting GKK servant-leaders (GSLs) to participate in activities, we try to bear in mind the Synodal precepts of listening, participation and communion. For some, one’s motive transcends this question. As volunteers involved in gardening, the reasons could be varied. The most common and perhaps immediate is the wish to contribute to the success of San Pablo Parish’s Social Action projects. The subsequent effects in making these gardens ‘bloom’ in places where planting, nurturing and finally, harvesting the vegetables and other produce are that they not only provide food for the needy but also contribute to the process of ‘greening’ and make the environment dazzle with natural wonders – plants, flowers and trees that soothe the eyes and refresh the soul, truly proving God’s presence in our midst.

At the end of the day, what we hope to witness is that each person is being transformed. The process may be subtle but knowing the science behind how seeds grow and activities required to ensure the survival of plants is inspiring and could likely be shared with others. Ultimately, the work may prove that we have produced or created is something tangible, and perhaps, edible and healthy. Practicing the virtues of patience and generosity, like the plants, also enhance character, as each participant shares his/her time and resources, even friendship, with others. Thus, not only do we develop ourselves, see our efforts bear fruit but also find joy in being able to share our success with others. (Remy Guillena)