The call to care for creation begins with a picture of generosity that is not weakness, tolerance that is not lack of determination, and kindness that is not softness. That same strength can be extended beyond human relationships to the wounded earth itself. The crisis of creation grows out of a sense of apartness, a way of seeing soil, rock, water, air, plants, and animals as resources rather than as living neighbours.
The Enlightenment’s separation of reason from spirit helped turn the earth into an “it,” inanimate material to be harnessed for human benefit. Indigenous reverence offers a different vision through the words “all my relations,” where creatures are understood as kin and where gratitude is given when an animal gives its life for food. That vision asks whether trees and plants might be treated differently if they were seen as relatives rather than as things.
Psalm 148 calls the whole created order into praise. The psalm gathers the sun and moon, shining stars, waters above the heavens, sea monsters, snow and frost, mountains and hills, fruit trees, wild animals, cattle, creeping things, flying birds, kings, princes, young and old. God deserves this praise first because God created all things, but also simply because God is God, whose glory is above earth and heaven.
Isaiah gives mountains, hills, and trees voices and hands, declaring that they can burst into song and clap their hands. The psalmist and Isaiah both recognize that creation carries spirit and inherent value. God continues to create and act, nourishing life through rain, air, sun, soil, plants, animals, and other human beings.
Human difference brings a particular responsibility rather than a license to dominate. The ability to choose makes human beings stewards who protect soil, water, and air as carefully as parents protect children and grandchildren. Seniors Climate Witness gives this responsibility a public face, calling Canada to reject new fossil-fuel pipelines, honour climate commitments, respect Indigenous rights, and invest in a safe and livable future.
The memory held by seniors becomes a gift and a summons. David Suzuki’s words, “We have memory, and we have a responsibility,” name the moment plainly. Christian praise becomes thanksgiving, love, service, and care for the earth that God loves.
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Key Takeaways
- 1. Creation is not an “it” The crisis of creation is tied to a false sense of human apartness from the rest of life. The earth becomes easier to use up when soil, water, plants, and animals are treated as mere material. God’s creation calls for relationship rather than extraction. [31:08]
- 2. All creation joins God’s praise Psalm 148 does not reserve praise for human voices alone. Sun, moon, frost, mountains, trees, animals, and every generation are called into the praise of God. Creation’s worship reveals that creatures possess value beyond human usefulness. [33:23]
- 3. Human ability requires faithful stewardship Human beings possess the ability to choose, and that ability brings responsibility. Care for water, air, and soil belongs alongside care for children and grandchildren. Stewardship is not soft sentiment but a determined act of protection. [35:42]
- 4. Memory becomes responsibility for action Seniors carry a living record of environmental change across generations. That memory makes present damage harder to deny and future responsibility harder to avoid. “This is our moment” names a vocation to act while there is still time.
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Youtube Chapters
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [24:42] - Opening Praise: God’s Glory Above Earth
- [28:03] - Generosity, Strength, and Care
- [30:25] - A Wounded Earth Crying for Healing
- [30:41] - The Illusion of Human Apartness
- [31:47] - “All My Relations”
- [33:04] - Psalm 148 Calls Creation to Praise
- [34:25] - God Continues to Create
- [34:44] - Mountains Singing and Trees Clapping
- [35:42] - Stewardship and Protecting Mother Earth
- [36:21] - Seniors Climate Witness
- [39:21] - Memory, Responsibility, and This Moment
- [40:41] - God’s Love Through Creation
- [41:24] - Prayer for the Fragile Planet
