Thursday
February 26, 2009

Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord, my God, you are very great...

You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
And plants for people to use,
To bring forth food from the earth,
And wine to gladden the human heart,
Oil to make the face shine,
And bread to strengthen the human heart.
The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
The cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
In them the birds build their nests;
The stork has its home in the fir trees.
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the coneys...
- Psalm 104:1-14-18

The story of creation tells us that God made a world full of “living creatures of every kind” (Genesis 1:24), and Psalm 104 celebrates the many ways God provides nourishment and a particular place for all these creatures.  Our faith calls us to value the beauty of God’s good creation, and current knowledge teaches us about the interdependence of all living creatures and the importance of biodiversity.
 
How diverse is our world?  Consider this:  1.75 million species of plants and animals have been described and documented, but it’s estimated that we share our planet with between 4 and 112 million species!  Unfortunately, due to our poor stewardship of our fellow creatures, the current rate of extinction of species is 50 to 1,000 times the natural rate of extinction in some areas. ["Tending the Garden:  Stewardship of Biodiversity and Endangered Species", NCC Eco-Justice resource

The loss or fragmentation of habitat is one of the primary causes of extinction, and habitat loss often comes as a result of human activity.  People drastically impact vegetation patterns on land, making it difficult for animals to find food, water and shelter.  A recent report by the American Geophysical Union suggests that human activity has altered more than three quarters of Earth's land surface—as we’ve expanded our habitat, habitats for the whole wide range of animals and plants have been lost.  God created the world as a home for all kinds of creeping things, birds of the air, and creatures of the sea, and we’ve moved in and taken over.