Knightly News

Students in this semester's new Service Learning and Community Impact course recently shared their thoughts on Earth Day in an Upper School Chapel service. Earlier this semester, students studied the environment and creation care with assistance from Chaplain Charlie. Chaplain Duncan assisted with the Earth Day presentation. Read the students' message below.

Caring for creation may seem like an overwhelming task, but it is one that we are called to do. For years humans have treated the Earth and its resources as something to consume from and not something to care for. As part of our covenant with God, humans have been given the Earth and its resources. If we are willing to listen, the Earth will reveal what it needs for us to care for it.  

Marine Biologist and writer Rachel Carson encourages us to follow the golden rule concerning the environment. Since we all wish to be treated with respect and care, we owe the environment respect and care. This can take many forms from picking up litter, being mindful about our paper use, reducing the number of single-use items we use, and following all hunting and fishing regulations. 

The first week of class Marie Constantin, a local artist and environmental advocate visited our class. Marie is a photographer who took the portrait of Mother Teresa that hangs in the Vatican. Marie is also a resident of Spanish Town and would walk her dog by the Capital Lakes each day. She was distressed by the amount of trash in the lake. Not only was it unsightly, it was causing the early death of wildlife. Day after day Marie noticed the trash. And day after day it only got worse. As we heard from the Book of Job, “Speak to the Earth and it will teach you.” Marie spoke to the earth and learned that it needed help. She took inspiration from Mother Teresa who said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”  Since no one was cleaning the lakes, Marie decided she would do it. One hour each day she would go to the lake and pick up trash until the lake was clean.

Once Marie started picking up trash others joined her. Marie was a sympathetic influence.  She gave others permission to care about their neighborhood and environment. Caring about something is hard because caring means that we hope. Caring means that we risk things not working out. By caring for the lakes, Marie gave others who may have been overwhelmed or cynical permission to care about the Lakes, too. 

The Chair of the Episcopal Church’s Creation Care Committee, Father Fred Devall also spoke to our class. Part of our conversation with Father Fred was about understanding our “why”. He asked us to identify WHY we cared about creation. Do we care for the environment because we love hiking or fishing on the water or being at our camp? Do we care about the environment because we are more at peace outdoors than indoors? Do we care about the environment because we recognize and appreciate the resources the Earth gives us that make our lives comfortable?  

Father Fred shared that it is important to find others who share a similar “why”. These individuals are the community that will sustain us in the long run. We are fortunate to be in an Episcopal School. One pillar of our Episcopal identity is social justice. This means that it is our responsibility to learn about our world and educate ourselves on how to help others. We are called to work with others to make the world more just and peaceful. We recognize that “neighbor” is a moral concept not one that is bound by geography. That we care for ourselves and our neighbors by caring for the Earth.

Cleaning up the Capital Lakes was ongoing for Marie Constantin. In fact, she has done it three times. Why?  Because she cares about her neighborhood.  Because she wants her neighbors to have a beautiful place to enjoy. Because she thinks the birds and turtles in the lake should not starve to death because they have plastic 6-pack holders caught in their beaks. Because she can do small things with great love.  Because she can influence others to care. Because, in her words, she “is not called to be successful. She is called to be faithful.”

So today, as we celebrate Earth Day and think about caring for God’s creation, figure out your why. And figure out how you will contribute. Will you be the sympathetic influence who gives others permission to care about the environment?  Will you listen to the Earth and let it teach you? Will you make a commitment to reducing your consumption of the Earth’s resources? When you cannot reduce, will you reuse the things you have?  When you cannot reduce or reuse will you recycle? Will you play your part in keeping the campus and city beautiful? Will you do small things with great love? And Will you remember that you are not called to be successful? You are called to be faithful. Amen.

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