If you would learn more, ask the cattle,
Seek information from the birds of the air.
The creeping things of earth will give you lessons,
And the fishes of the sea will tell you all.
There is not a single creature that does not know
That everything is of God’s making.
God holds in power the soul of every living thing,
And the breath of every human body.
—Book of Job 12:7-10 [1]
From the beginning of the Bible to the end, it is clear that a loving God includes all of creation in God’s Kingdom. In the Genesis story, God’s love, beauty, and goodness overflow into creation; and all creatures, including humans, are living peacefully in God’s presence. Isaiah prophesies the “peaceable kingdom” to come (11:1-9; 65:17-25). In Revelation, John hears “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe” giving God “blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever” (Revelation 5:13). Finally, John sees “a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1) and the Bible ends with a new garden, complete with “the river of life-giving water” and “the tree of life” (22:1-2).
God shows authentic and primal concern for all animals by directing Noah to take a male and female of every species onto the ark (see Genesis 7:2-3) to be saved. After the flood, God makes a covenant, not just with people but with all of creation: “God said: ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth’” (Genesis 9:12-13, emphasis mine).
Our current methods of commercial animal farming are damaging to the environment as well as cruel to animals. One way of reducing your meat consumption is to return to the traditional Lenten practice of eating fish on a Friday. But do please make sure that it is a sustainable fish that you choose.
For example here is the list of sustainable fish for South Africa: http://wwfsassi.co.za/sassi-list/
If you google sustainable fish for your country you can see which fish is endangered and avoid buying that.
Meditation adapted from Richard Rohr
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