Again, it's Twelfth Night - the night of epiphany, of recognition and awakening. From the darkest days of the year we need to look towards the light, celebrated around the globe, regardless of creed, in different cultures down through the eons with fire, candles, light and music. In western Christianity, it means celebrating the visit of the three kings or wise men to the Christ Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.I asked the question earlier, now shall we extend this salvation to all people, the creatures and life that inhabit our home, the planet?
Salvation isn't earned, it's a gift, a grace, a blessing. Like the blessings and abundance of nature that we've taken as our due as the human family expanded across the globe. It's time to reflect on our continual consumption of earth's resources and the impact that this is having on the natural processes and their ability to support life in all its diversity and complexity.
It's now time to make other decisions, to work within the parameters of nature, and integrate human process within rational bounds. It's a scale issue, as has been debated in the Copenhagen climate summit, as well as a supremely immediate and necessary cumulative action to restore what was once abundantly provided by an unburdened earth. From its highest point to the lowest depths of the biosphere, we're reaching a crucial moment in our history as well as the limits of the ability of our planet to nurture human habitation. We must act, in grace, to turn around our destructive habits and embrace a constructive path.
What other blessing can humanity give?
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