"The pollution of the outward environment we are witnessing is only the mirror and the consequence of the inward environment, to which we pay too little heed. I think that this is also the defect of the ecological movements. They crusade with an understandable and also legitimate passion against the pollution of the environment, whereas man's self-pollution of his soul continues to be treated as one of the rights of his freedom.
There is a discrepancy here. We want to eliminate the measurable pollution, but we don't consider the pollution of man's soul and his creaturely form.... he must acknowledge himself as a creature and realise that there must be a sort of inner purity to his creatureliness: spiritual ecology, if you will."
Painting: Waterhouse, The Tempest
Wow what a gem of an insight. this goes so well with Totus tuos notes from the conference that we eat so much spiritual junk food.
ReplyDeleteWow what a great piece of writing and truth. The interior life effects so much..always a need for cleaning up! Thanks so much for this post and the painting is beautiful-I love the colors.
ReplyDeleteWow...again! What wisdom from our beloved Benedict XVI. I had never though about this.... Thanks, Nancy!
ReplyDelete"Man's self-pollution of his soul continues to be treated as one of the rights of his freedom." Sad that more people don't realize how sin truly has such a ripple effect, and that sin of one causes so much pain and anguish to others.
ReplyDeleteSince I'm saying the same basic thing to all of you, I'll say it all at once! :) I loved these words of Benedict XVI as soon as I saw them. Such wisdom.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!
I wish everyone in the world would read these wise words and PAY ATTENTION. How far will man go I wonder? It's a scary thought and one I don't really want to find out the answer too. Have you read this article? http://www.spiritdaily.com/courtcomment.htm
ReplyDeleteWe are beginning to see our own "Tempest" I think. And it increases daily.
Great post, Nancy!
Oh Mary, your timing could not have been better. I had just gotten off the phone with a friend when I found your comment. We had been talking, almost in tears, over the very question you wound up pondering: "how far will man go?"
DeleteI feel quite sure the answer is "as far as he can." I went to the link you sent (thank you - I hadn't seen it), and I am very struck by it. "Psychopathology is granted wide rein..." Yes, the tempest increases daily, and it's gaining momentum.
THANK YOU.
Wonderful quote from such a wise and holy man, I miss hearing from him on a daily basis. It is reassuring to know that he is praying for us. And Nancy, sadly, I agree, that that mankind will go as far as he can, just because he can. Reminds me of the adage that sounds trite but contains truth: curiosity killed the cat.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a lot of truth in that adage. I think I see it more all the time. And I miss the input of our Pope Emeritus also... I turn to thoughts of him being "cloistered," in prayer for us!
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