Communing with Nature

During this time of the year, I notice myself withdrawing from the busy pace of the world to seek quiet time for reflection. Nature is integral to my daily spiritual life. In the sacred space of the natural world, I feel a profound sense of what it means to be part of the web of life – to belong to a bigger cosmic consciousness.

For me, my intimate connection to God in nature is the Holy Spirit in action. I have long held a strong connection to all living things on the planet. My desire to live in a more sustainable, conscious way is how I respond to the call of Laudato Si’ to have an ecological conversion.

A nature-based approach to spirituality could hold the solution to our feelings of alienation and disconnection from the Church, our global community and even our role in the current global climate change crisis. As we make it our intention to restore this connection in order to overcome the current socio-ecological crises that threaten our survival as a species on the planet, we also deepen our own faith. As Thomas Berry wisely observed, ‘The destiny of humans cannot be separated from the destiny of the earth.

Excerpted from The Sacred Heart Messenger, December 2021