Our erroneous understanding of the very concept of stewardship, has led to the current environmental crisis, such as climate change, natural disasters, ozone depletion, melting of the ice or snow caps, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, deforestation, extinction of species, degraded air quality, scarcity of fresh water, food insecurity, land contamination, etc.\u00a0 These crisis on the other hand gave rise to the problems related to population growth, urbanization, poverty, unemployment, diseases, conflict, war, migration, etc. This new world of poverty and sickness surfaced due to our pride, because \u201cWe no longer recognize any higher instance than ourselves.\u201d <\/strong>(6) Yes! God called us to be stewards and not the masters. The essential foundation to be laid in our lives is the realization that we are only responsible stewards<\/em><\/strong> and not<\/strong>dominating masters<\/strong>. As Christian, what is my individual responsibility to restore the splendor and grace of mother earth?<\/p>\n SERVE AND PRESERVE<\/u><\/strong>:<\/span> The second creation story (Gen2:5-15) clarifies the concept of stewardship in a more precise manner. According to this story, God puts Adam and Eve in the Garden in order \u201cto till\u201d and \u201cto keep\u201d the land. \u201cTilling refers to cultivating, ploughing, or working, while keeping means caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving<\/strong>.\u201d (67) In Hebrew, the word for \u201ctill\u201d is service that a slave does to his master, while the word \u201ckeep\u201d means to preserve for the future generation. God in doing so, hands over to them the \u201cunique responsibility\u201d in terms of a new mandate called \u201cto serve and to preserve\u201d. The word \u2018Service\u2019 is a familiar word in the language of the Holy Scriptures. Jesus himself referred it saying, \u201cThe Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.\u201d (Mt.20:28) Jesus the servant-King challenges us, in this creation story to assume the identical role. While executing the duties attached to this role, we are called to serve and to preserve the exquisiteness of creation for future generations.<\/p>\n TILLED AND KILLED<\/u><\/strong>:<\/span> Further, let us, move to the fate of two brothers: Cain and Abel (Gen 4:1-26). Cain was a tiller of the ground, a farmer while Abel was a shepherd.\u00a0Both the brothers seemed to be seeking approval and affirmations from God over their offering. We are told that God accepted Abel\u2019s offering and rejected Cain\u2019s. This led to the murder of his brother. The land that was fertile, productive and bountiful was soaked in the blood that was crying out for vengeance. The one who tilled the ground and enjoyed its produce, is responsible to bring a curse on it. \u00a0He forgot the concept of brotherhood \u201cNot only has God given the earth to man, \u2026 but, man too is God\u2019s gift to man. He must therefore respect the natural and moral structures with which he has been endowed.\u201d<\/strong> (115) God\u2019s all-encompassing vision for creation was desecrated, due to injustice by man against man. We are called to generate sustainability not only for earth\u2019s resources, but also to sustain the life of the most vulnerable in the society.<\/p>\n SELF INTROSPECTION AND DISCERNMENT:<\/span> <\/u><\/strong>The words I speak, the decisions I make, the ways I inspire, the actions I perform, the judgments I make, the criticisms I pass on, the manner I pray, etc. makes it evident, who I think of myself- a steward or a proprietor. When all the above activities are filled with \u2018I\u2019 \u2018Me\u2019 and \u2018Myself\u2019 there is no room for stewardship, it\u2019s all occupied by ownership. True Indeed as the Pontiff says, \u201cInstead of carrying out his role as a cooperator with God in the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and thus ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature.\u201d<\/strong> (117) Do I place power and profit above people? Do I reduce them as commodities, to be used and thrown away? \u00a0Do I care for the least and the lost- both human and non-human alike? Am I egoistic while consuming the earth\u2019s resources? \u00a0Do I raise myself in gratitude to God for the manifold blessings that I receive through the creation? What reply have I to give to God and to myself, at this moment?<\/p>\n CONCLUSION AND CHOICES:<\/u><\/strong><\/span> I need to see anew the purpose of my life within the context of God\u2019s larger purposes for the world, consequently, exercise my stewardship within its context. The Pontiff says it delightfully, \u201cAs Christians, we are also called to accept the world as a sacrament of communion.\u201d (9)<\/strong>\u00a0 It means I need to embrace stewardship of earth-Community in totality as a sacrament.\u00a0 He further affirms \u201cwhen our hearts are authentically open to universal communion, this sense of fraternity excludes nothing and no one.\u201d<\/strong> (92) I need to change my personal behavior particularly in relation to all that is directly entrusted to my care. All of us own a piece of creation within our usage\/in our apostolate\/in our communities. I am called to make a right choice in guarding it with responsibility and respect. The choices I make in personal life certainly has effect on the earth and earth-community. It involves sacrifice. Sacrifices are acts of love and kindness towards the well-being of others. Not with guilt, neither with shame, or grudge or despair, rather, with love and gratitude, I am called to exercise my vocation as steward of creation. Let\u2019s not forget, \u201cGod gave humanity the chance of a new beginning. All it takes is one good person to restore HOPE.\u201d<\/strong> (71) Can I and you, as single individual, endorse our responsibility with love and respect in guarding the part of creation that is entrusted to our care?<\/p>\n Sr. Fabiola Fernandes, Hyderabad<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" God called us to be stewards and not the masters. 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CREATION AND VOCATION:<\/span><\/u><\/strong> The Bible is the right place to find enlightenment. It is here that the very concept of environmental stewardship originates. The first creation story (Gen1:1-2:4) narrates that God after creating man and woman in His own image and likeness, gives them the dominion over all created things (Gen. 1: 26). It was God\u2019s magnanimity to give them dominion over all created things<\/em><\/strong>. But the very concept of \u2018dominion\u2019 was misunderstood by our first parents. Dominion- in Hebrew does not mean \u201cto dominate\u201d or \u201cto exploit\u201d, but it means \u201cto take responsibility for\u201d. Caring for creation<\/em>, was not an ambiguous reality, because they were created explicitly to take care of it and to use it for God\u2019s glory. It was their prime vocation to take care of creation.<\/strong>\u00a0 In this first story, as we all know, the human being, so called, \u201ccrown of creation<\/strong>,\u201d was created on the concluding day- to remind us that even in hierarchy, we are the product of the last day. Subsequently, it is clear that under no circumstances, we can dominate the creation that was pre-arranged for us.<\/p>\n