EarthBeat Weekly: What does 'Laudato Si' ' say about the Eucharist?

What does Laudato Si' say about the Eucharist? Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change July 19, 2024 A priest raises the Eucharist in this illustration. (OSV News/CNS file, Bob Roller) The subsection of Laudato Si' that talks directly about the Eucharist begins with some of my favorite lines in the entire document: "The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. Hence, there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face. The ideal is not only to pass from the exterior to the interior to discover the action of God in the soul, but also to discover God in all things." Pope Francis continues, "The Sacraments are a privileged way in which nature is taken up by God to become a means of mediating supernatural life. Through our worship of God, we are invited to embrace the world on a different plane. Water, oil, fire and colours are taken up in all their symbolic power and incorporated in our act of praise." After a brief mention of baptism, the pope then dedicates the entire second half of this subsection to the Eucharist, saying: "It is in the Eucharist that all that has been created finds its greatest exaltation. Grace, which tends to manifest itself tangibly, found unsurpassable expression when God himself became man and gave himself as food for his creatures. The Lord, in the culmination of the mystery of the Incarnation, chose to reach our intimate depths through a fragment of matter. He comes not from above, but from within, he comes that we might find him in this world of ours. In the Eucharist, fullness is already achieved; it is the living centre of the universe, the overflowing core of love and of inexhaustible life. Joined to the incarnate Son, present in the Eucharist, the whole cosmos gives thanks to God. Indeed the Eucharist is itself an act of cosmic love: 'Yes, cosmic! Because even when it is celebrated on the humble altar of a country church, the Eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world'. The Eucharist joins heaven and earth; it embraces and penetrates all creation. The world which came forth from God’s hands returns to him in blessed and undivided adoration: in the bread of the Eucharist, 'creation is projected towards divinization, towards the holy wedding feast, towards unification with the Creator himself'. Thus, the Eucharist is also a source of light and motivation for our concerns for the environment, directing us to be stewards of all creation." As many Catholics gather in Indianapolis for the Eucharistic Congress this week, writer Damian Costello has been exploring connections between the created world and the Eucharist through scripture and tradition. Read more: Through the blood of Christ the Ox, the Eucharist raises us to 'real life' Read more: Eucharistic devotion, golden calves and power And be sure to check EarthBeat's homepage Saturday morning for the next essay in Christina Leano's "Contemplation With Creation" series. This one focuses on the senses, specifically how they help us to experience Eucharist at Mass.     What else is new on EarthBeat: 'My faith has to ride for justice': Priests mediate fight over land rights in Brazil by Chloë-Arizona Fodor, Religion News Service In Brazil, the forced removal of vulnerable people from privately owned land has created a role for Catholic priests as mediators between landowners and beleaguered communities.   Reporter's Inbox: The bishop of Tucson gets an electrical vehicle — reactions are mixed by Stephanie Clary After posting on Facebook about his new electrical vehicle, Bishop Edward Weisenburger of the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona, received both praise and skepticism.   I rewilded my desert landscape to better fit God's parameters by Margie B. Klein Water shortages in the Mojave Desert, increased utility rates and a hotter climate each year led this couple to convert their once lush and green lawn into a new, xeric landscape of rocks and native plants.   'Progress being made' toward UN goals, but on a smaller scale by Chris Herlinger Sisters and clergy attending meetings assessing the United Nations' sustainable development goals affirmed the progress they see in small-scale projects. However, they say the 2030 deadline is not realistic.   Mexico 'cancels' statue of Greek god Poseidon after dispute with local deity by Fabiola Sánchez, Associated Press A legal complaint says a 10-foot aquatic statue of the Greek god of the sea Poseidon in the Gulf of Mexico offended the beliefs of local Maya Indigenous groups who prefer their own local god of water, known as Chaac.   Can humanity address climate change without believing it? Medical history suggests it is possible by Rob Barrett, The Conversation "Strange as it may seem, early germ theorists could tell us a lot about today’s attitudes toward climate change," Rob Barrett writes.    How a perfect storm sent church insurance rates skyrocketing by Bob Smietana, Religion News Service The same factors that have caused a crisis in the homeowner's insurance market are also affecting churches, who have to choose between paying for insurance or running programs.   Texas Catholic groups struggle to provide aid after Beryl cuts power to millions by James Ramos, Simone Orendain, OSV News Catholic aid organizations in the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese confirmed they cannot get to work just yet because of the power outage that left about 2.5 million people in the dark following Hurricane Beryl's landfall July 8 that cut a damaging path through eastern Texas and left at least eight people dead. Weather officials said "exceptionally warm ocean temperatures" were effectively rocket fuel for Beryl's rapid development.   Survival story as Hurricane Beryl razes smallest inhabited island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines by Bryce Wagner, Cristiana Mesquita, Associated Press Mayreu is one of the smallest inhabited islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It's so small that it's barely visible — a dot on the map of the Caribbean. Hurricane Beryl nearly erased it from the map.   Grenada bishop addresses flock following Hurricane Beryl's wrath by Tom Tracy, OSV News In his first public address since Hurricane Beryl visited the Caribbean's Lesser Antilles region as the earliest formed Category 5 hurricane on record, the bishop of St. George's in Grenada took to social media to offer a spiritual message of hope and resilience following the July 1 landfall there.   Grenada bishop visits communities traumatized, devastated by Hurricane Beryl by Tom Tracy, OSV News Bishop Clyde Harvey of St. George's in Grenada arrived by boat to the island of Carriacou July 12 to find a traumatized community and at least two diocesan churches that suffered catastrophic damage from Hurricane Beryl.   What's happening in other climate news: At the Republican National Convention, Climate Change Isn't a Problem —Lisa Friedman for The New York Times Inside America's billion-dollar quest to squeeze more trees into cities —Bishop Sand for the Washington Post Will the Coming Plastics Treaty Solve the Problem Or Enshrine It? —Joseph A. Davis for SEJournal How AI and data centers impact climate change — Ben Tracy for CBS News Caritas Malaysia calls for Church to combat climate crisis amid recent flooding —Mark Saludes for Vatican News Philippine Catholic Church intensifies environmental protection campaign —Mark Saludes for Vatican News   Final Beat: Last week, I did not send this newsletter because we were experiencing some website issues at NCR and EarthBeat. I have included any articles published on EarthBeat between July 8 and July 19 in this week's newsletter. Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr   Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? Place an Ad in NCR's Online Classified Section for Only $75 per Month!   Advertisement