Page 125 - Built For God Handbook (Annotated and Explained Edition) - The Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching - The New Evangelization - Pope John Paul II

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In response to the question of attempting to improve the world, it is good to
broaden the interpretation of that word to include not just the created world
but the world of human beings and human interaction.

According to the Letter to the Colossians, in Christ, “all things were created,
in heaven and on earth . . . all were created through him and for him” {1:16}.
This is truly a cosmic vision embracing the whole created universe,
perceived as an integrated whole, forming a living organism and embracing
all humanity.

As stated in this chapter, the created world is a sacred vessel, which
resonates with the worldview of the sacred of the Indigenous peoples,
where all things are inter-related. We are to be both careful stewards of that
creation and walk in harmony with it. Trying to exercise too much control
over the inherent laws of nature can lead mere humans into playing God,
and lead to disastrous consequences, such as a viral pandemic.

We live in a time when the human predicament is regularly denied,
explained away, or ignored. Despite the massive counterevidence from the
moral disasters of the last century, we are still beguiled by the myth of
progress: with just enough technical advancement, psychological insight,
and personal liberation, we think we can solve all our problems. This
temptation to dominate, control, and exercise power can lead to negative
and hurtful consequences for all humanity and all of creation.

It is wise to observe the delicate, seasonal ways of nature, the myriads of
species, the unending universes and galaxies spread out in the heavens,
and learn from them how best to care for the earth and relate well to each
other. It is wise for our human wellness to avoid extremes of excess and
extravagance on the one hand and face, accept, and deal with reality on the
other. In the end, we need to let go and let God.

b
a Ecclesiastes 3:1-22; Job 38:1-41; Ecclesiastes 7:15-18.