We worship with creation in the rivers

Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth.   (LS 92)

We are grateful to our brother River, a wonderful natural waterway originating in a spring, coursing down a mountain as a stream and meandering through a valley until it empties into a lake or into the sea.

The Brook: Alfred Lord Tennyson 

Rivers provide fresh water for plants, animals, fish, birds, and numerous  tiny creatures, making possible diversity of life-forms upon earth and playing an important role in the renewal and recycling of resources.  These freshwater ecosystems are essential for human survival, thus many  civilizations grew on the banks of rivers.

“And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” Ezekial 47:12

Rivers symbolize many aspects of life and creation.

• Rivers exemplify selfless service, facilitating the flow of water, nourishing life upon earth in various ways and helping many, they become empty, giving up the remaining water to the oceans. By that, they teach us an important lesson about detachment and renunciation.
• Moving continuously, rivers represent the very movement of life and the forward motion of time. As Heraclitus said, you will never cross the same river twice. As the river is ever changing, so is life and so are we as part of Creation in this unfolding and evolving Universe. Each new day and every encounter presents a fresh invitation to us to savour the ‘Now’ and appreciate that we are spiritual beings on a human journey.
• Rivers adapt to change and circumstances.  Through twists and turns and numerous obstacles, rivers negotiate their way until they reach their destination.  In life we negotiate our way through problems and difficulties to achieve our goals, knowing when to practice humility and surrender to fate and when to assert our strength.
• Rivers are manifestations of the Divine offering us an opportunity to worship God, many temples and sacred places being associated with them. Rivers are an important source of God’s abundance upon earth enriching our lives in various ways.

‘The river of God is full of water.’ Psalm 65:9

The Cry of the Earth in the Rivers

We can no longer hear the voice of the rivers, the mountains, or the sea. The trees and meadows are no longer intimate modes of spirit presence. The world about us has become an ‘it’ rather than a ‘thou’…..    (Thomas Berry : The Great Work)

Despite their value and importance, many  rivers, around the world are severely damaged by human activities e.g. runoff from industry and agriculture, household waste, mining, fracking etc.

Pope Francis reminds us:

Detergents and chemical products, commonly used in many places of the world, continue to pour into our rivers, lakes and seas. (LS 29)

The creation of dams and water-diversion systems blocks migration routes for fish and disrupts habitats.  We need programs that include planning, stewardship, education, and regulation to protect freshwater habitats.

Laws and provisions need to ensure that water resources are used in a way that does not detriment local communities as well as ecological wellbeing of the natural environment.  (Bridget Crisp rsm, MGP,   April 2020)

Shannon’s Story

My name is Shannon and I’m the longest river in Ireland.  I begin my journey in the misty moors of County Cavan and travel leisurely for  200 miles flowing like a vein right down through the countryside.  At Limerick, through a large estuary between south Co. Clare and north Co. Kerry,  I enter the Atlantic Ocean.  As I wind my way to the sea, my water supports a number of whole ecosystems, contributing to the beauty of creation and benefitting Irish tourism and other aspects of the economy.

The bio-region through which I flow is dotted with lakes, smaller rivers and aquifers that supply drinking water to the communities in these areas. Some of the aquifers are very shallow with an extremely high risk of pollution from any heavy industrial activity such as fracking.   In Ireland there are laws forbidding people to build houses near important aquifers, so the idea that fracking could take place safely anywhere near underground water systems is absurd. 

Contaminated spillages automatically end up in streams, lakes and rivers. If fracking goes ahead, inevitably I would carry toxic chemicals that pose a disastrous threat to the environment, to flora and fauna, and to humans. I tremble when I see a bleak future for all the beings that I support.  I tremble when I think of the polluted water I will carry – water that will cause disease and death. 

I plead with all those who have the power to stop the fracking of my landscape to ‘come to their senses’, to think of the resulting negative effects on their children’s children, and ensure the pristine quality of my waters.  I ask to have my rights recognized like the Whanganui, a river in New Zealand.  Before it is too late humans take heed!

Actions:

• Take a stroll by a stream or river, listen to the water flowing, and contemplate the mystery of God in this marvellous resource.
• Use eco-friendly soaps and detergents
• Get involved in a clean-up of a waterway in your area

 

Prayer

God, our Creator, whose glory fills our planet, help us to discern your vibrant presence among us and our kin in creation, especially in the rivers, the streams, and the waterways of Earth. Help us to empathize with your creatures who are suffering and to serve you as agents for healing the rivers. In the name of Christ, who reconciles and restores all things in creation. Amen.

To see more reflections for the Season of Creation, please click here

Marcella O’Connell rsm