The Morning Offering

Climate Change

Climate change is a reality
that is ignored to our peril

We of the twenty-first century have given ourselves over to consuming addictions more than any time in history. Even a casual look at how we live our lives makes it abundantly clear that we are so caught up in our addictions that we can't even begin to notice that our world is on the brink of disaster. Scientists have been telling us for years that our over use of fossil fuels has been having a negative effect on our planet. Climate change is a fact, yet we're so addicted to over consumption that we even look at the scientific facts in a selective way, finding ways to deny the inevitable. We've managed to politicize an issue that should have united us, all because we want to continue to our foolish abandonment.

Marine scientists know that the carbon dioxide that has been spewing into the air, has been sinking into our oceans. The result is the devastation of sensitive coral reefs, caused by the warming of ocean temperatures. We're now seeing increased movement of non-native species into ecosystems that are foreign to them and we are on the brink of mass extinctions of ocean life that have not been seen in thousands of years. Much of the worlds population depends on food from these oceans and the depletion of whole species promises to deplete much of our world's food supply. We're not talking about a hundred years, but tens of years.

Because of our addictions to having it all, we've put our collective heads in the sand, pretending that all is going to be just fine. We are a technologically advanced race that can take care of any eventuality, we tell ourselves. The fact that we are seeing record breaking storms, floods, droughts, fires, and increasingly erratic weather patters, seems too frightening to even contemplate. Our oceans are rising with the melting of the great ice caps and we are denying the reality of global warming. By telling ourselves we are just in a natural climatic change we dismiss any personal responsibility. We live in denial much like the alcoholic who has just been confronted by his family.

As a race we have turned our backs on God. We've adopted "abundance and prosperity" theologies that have led us to believe that God wants us to exploit the planet, and have put our priorities in the wrong place. We leave simple, ecologically sound, living to those losers who can't afford the good life. Meanwhile we fiddle like the grasshopper of the childhood story, all the while running out of time.

We ignore, in our pride and arrogance, a clear message. God has called us to repentance, for our planet is spewing us up like so much vomit. Our sin of over consumption, and greed, has led us to forget that God anointed us to be good stewards of the earth. We've been worshiping the false gods of prosperity, gluttony and consumption, while ignored the invitation of our Creator to place our hearts and minds at His disposal.

"It is the sign of an infantile mind not to care for oneself with the resources that are available, but rather to partake of something clearly and undeniably harmful while trusting in unseen hopes (Saint Basil the Great)."

It is time we put all political and religious differences aside, face up to the catastrophe that is already upon us, and reverse, as much as possible at this eleventh hour, the destruction we have inflicted upon our planet. Although there have always been cycles of climate change, the current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years. We must stop our abusive living, and demand our government enact laws that greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We must reduce our dependency on beef, and other animal products. We must learn to ration our water supplies, and live, collectively, lives that are not ruled by consumerism. If we don't act now, we, as a species, are doomed.

The important thing to remember is that we are talking "climate change". "Global warming" was the title given it by the media, early on, and it stuck. The terrible winters in the Midwest do not mean global warming is not happening, but simply that the whole of the world's climate is changing rapidly. The vast majority of scientists have been warning us about this for a very long time, but some Christians, and some politicians, have turned this warning into some kind of vast conspiracy, which it is not. The evidence is clear, and the impact climate change is having on the whole of the world promises famine and destruction the world over. We don't have time to sit around and debate this. We have to act NOW!

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Friday May 9, 2014 / April 26, 2014
Third Week of Pascha. Tone two.
Fast. Fish Allowed
Hieromartyr Basil, bishop of Amasea (322).
St. Stephen, bishop of Perm (1396).
New Hieromartyrs John priets and his childrens Martyrs Nicholas and Peter (1918).
Righteous Virgin Glaphyra of Nicomedia (322).
Venerable Ioannicius of Devich (Serbia) (1430).
Venerable Jusca, righteous.
St. Nestor the Silent (Greek).
Venerables Andrew and Anatole, disciples of St. Euthymius the Great (5th c.) (Greek).
St. Richarius, abbot in Picardy (645).
St. Calantius of Tamaseos on Cyprus (8th c.).
St. George of Cyprus (1091).
You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.


The Scripture Readings for the Day

Acts 8:40-9:19

⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

The Damascus Road: Saul Converted

9 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
³ As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
⁶ So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
⁷ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
¹¹ So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. ¹² And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
¹³ Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
¹⁷ And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
¹⁹ So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

John 6:48-54

⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
⁵² The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
⁵³ Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

I invite my readers to listen to my
Ancient Faith Radio podcasts:
http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/morningoffering


All-Merciful Saviour Monastery is a monastery of the Western American Diocese, under the omophor of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America. The Monastery is a non-profit 501 C3 organization under IRS regulations. All donations are therefore tax deductible. We depend on the generosity of our friends and benefactors. You can donate to the monastery through PayPal, or by sending donations directly to the monastery's mailing address.

All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA

Abbot Tryphon's email address:
frtryphon@vashonmonks.com