Lenten Tips for Living with Respect in Creation

                                                                                                     - Margaret Machum

On behalf of the St Matthew’s Earth Spirit Action Group, I have been providing weekly tips for lifestyle change during Lent. I hope that you are finding that these practices are proving positive in this Lenten Season.

In week 1, I invited you to join me in GIVING ATTENTION to our lives with practices that Give Space and Time, Give Thanks, and Give Awareness to help us on our journey to discover ways of Living with Respect in Creation.

Every day we work and play and our actions create our lifestyle. We do these things out of necessity to support our families and ourselves, out of habit, to fill the time, or to make us happy. We do many things out of love, love for our families, our friends, our neighbours, and ourselves. Certainly, this year, we have done so much to protect all of us. But we also do things as individuals out of greed.

Last week, I asked you to Give Thoughtfulness by categorizing the 10 most important things in your life under the headings of Love and Greed. Why do our lifestyles contain items driven by greed? It is in part because we want the best for the ones we love. It is in part because our economy is built on the premise that more is better, that growth is necessary for progress.

“Tis A Gift. Lenten Tip Week Five: Give Change

Look at your lists of the 20 items placed under the columns Love and Greed. Think what impact these choices have on the well-being of yourself and others, and what effect they have on the land, water, and air. Give change.