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James 3:1-12 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will face stricter judgment. 2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is mature, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Or look at ships: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth comes a blessing and a cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.  This text is overflowing with creation imagery. James has one central message: "As humans, we need to be careful with what we say, because our words can cause great destruction—that’s why not everyone should be teachers." Instead of simply stating this point and moving on, James uses vivid metaphors to drive it home.
I encourage you to use your imagination as you read this passage. Look again at verses 3-4: "If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs." By picturing the horse and the ship (and perhaps even googling them if you’re unfamiliar), you can better grasp the lesson James is teaching. Imagine the powerful energy of a horse—its strength and speed all controlled by something as small as a bit in its mouth. Or think of a ship, large and imposing, able to face strong winds and rough seas, yet directed by a tiny rudder. These images help us understand the disproportionate power of small things, like the tongue. The words we speak, though small in comparison to the body, can steer the course of our lives and the lives of others. Just as the bit and rudder control great forces, so too our speech has the power to direct the flow of relationships, justice, and even our connection to creation. The tongue, though small, can either foster life and goodness, or it can create harm and destruction. In the first chapter, James tells us to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, because human anger does not produce God's righteousness" (1:19b-20). Now, he builds on this, explaining that the same mouth cannot produce both blessings and curses—just as a spring cannot yield both fresh and brackish water, or a fig tree olives. I was once given advice, “to be a good preacher, writer, or teacher- live life, observe how the world works, get outside, love people.” This will shape your message. We see that James is someone who has done just that. This approach makes sense. Since we encounter different aspects of God's wisdom and image in creation, we are better equipped to explain the truth about God. Human experience alone is limited, but creation helps us understand both the complex and the simple aspects of God’s nature. Let us take James' advice in two ways: first, to guard our words so we can serve God and love others, and second, to engage with creation so we can know God more fully, love God and creation better, and become more effective teachers, pastors, writers and witnesses of the Gospel. This passage invites us to reflect on the relationship between our words and their consequences. Just as a fig tree cannot yield olives, nor a spring pour forth both fresh and brackish water, we cannot bless God while cursing God's creation. To pursue creation justice, our words and actions must flow from the same source—a source rooted in love, respect, and stewardship for the earth and all living beings created in the likeness of God. Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.
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James 2:1-17 1 My brothers and sisters, do not claim the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory while showing partiality. 2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here in a good place, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit by my footstool," 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor person. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.  Agitated and longing for home, my grandmother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, lived with my family when I was in high school. We noticed that she became especially restless around mealtime or during car rides. Our hearts broke as we had the honor of caring for her, waiting for the happy moments, and wishing she could find peace.
One day, God provided a little kitten in our yard. This cat became one of the greatest gifts because my grandmother could put it to bed, feed it, and care for it. Her longing to help around the house, especially during mealtime, was soothed by the presence of the kitten. A few months after my grandmother left our home, this pure white kitten also passed away from feline leukemia. In the car, we discovered that she would become more calm if we talked about how beautiful the clouds were. We often tried to find the prettiest cloud and would talk about how it was a gift. Even when she could no longer speak, she would point out the prettiest cloud to me during our car rides. So, why am I sharing this story about my grandmother, and what does it have to do with James and creation? First, I find it fascinating to reflect on what brought comfort to my grandmother—it was all gifts from God, provided through creation. Second, this passage from James always reminds me of my grandmother. When she came to church with my family, no one knew her before Alzheimer’s. She was difficult to engage with, and it was often a risk to interact with her, as she might do something that could embarrass herself and you in the process. Yet, the women at my church loved my grandmother in a way that radiated the love of Christ. Whether her clothes were dirty or soiled, they sat with her every time she was at church and even offered to come to our house to spend time with her, giving us all a break. She had no money to offer, and sometimes no words of love to give back, yet these women treated her with honor. They found out what she liked—flowers and birds—and would bring her picture books filled with images of both or help her walk outside to see them. Their faith was not dead but blossomed with works of love. James calls us to a faith that is active and inclusive, rejecting partiality and prioritizing the dignity of every person. This same principle applies to creation justice, where we must honor all of God's creation by making choices that protect the earth and the vulnerable. Just as James criticizes favoring the rich while neglecting the poor, creation justice challenges us to reject systems that prioritize profit over the well-being of the environment and those who suffer most from its exploitation. As we contemplate creation justice, we are called to be like those women who saw beyond the surface and offered love and care where it was most needed. We are challenged to embody a faith that does not merely acknowledge the importance of creation but actively works to preserve it, recognizing that our treatment of the earth and its people is a reflection of our love for the Creator. In doing so, we fulfill the royal law: to love our neighbor as ourselves, extending mercy and justice to all of God’s Creation. Reflecting on my grandmother's story, God's gifts through creation, creation’s gift to my grandma— the kitten, the clouds, the birds, and the flowers—brought her peace. The women at my church embodied Christ's love by caring for her without judgment. The actions of the women and creation were not just words but deeds, mirroring James's insistence that faith without works is dead. In the context of creation justice, our care for the earth must also be active, reflecting our love for both the Creator and creation by making deliberate, compassionate choices that uphold the dignity of all Creation. Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries. James 1:17-27 |
| MJ: What is the goal of your organization? The Lowlander Center integrates resources, information, and knowledges so that lowland communities have more options to choose from, be involved in or be supported with. This way it is not just outside entities telling them what they can or cannot have. The communities can grow in their own knowledge and capacity to be able to make informed decisions for themselves based on a lot of information such as patterns of historical violence, different types of legal remedies, and different types of knowledges from Indigenous and other historied communities that can weave those things together. The goal is to problem-solve with communities, so that they have as much information as possible when faced with various obstacles. |  |
MJ: Tell us about who you serve or work with?
We link together communities who have raised questions or concerns about similar challenges, in order to form collaboratives, networks, and partnerships. For example, one collaborative of several coastal, Indigenous communities in Alaska and several Tribal communities in Louisiana worked together on a report submitted to the UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment. Also, after the BP oil spill disaster, we worked with oiled communities across the Southeast, and connected them with the communities that were in Prince William Sound to learn from and guide each other. It included faith communities, government entities, health communities, fishers and subsistence fishers and more. We are also involved in a National Science Foundation grant through Haskell Indian Nations University that is connecting groups from Indigenous communities in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Alaska. They are sharing types of Indigenous wisdom and knowledge to be able to counter climate stressors. The collaborative digs into both historical knowledge and wisdom, and spiritual practice, to see how we can move forward in a healthy, good way. Additionally, one of the leaders from a Tribal community of Grand Bayou just returned from a meeting with the UN Rapporteur and the UN Human Rights Commission in Brasil. It's imperative on us to find the resources and opportunities to get people to these different types of gatherings. This way, their voices become part of the larger conversation, and not just a sidebar or a passthrough.
We link together communities who have raised questions or concerns about similar challenges, in order to form collaboratives, networks, and partnerships. For example, one collaborative of several coastal, Indigenous communities in Alaska and several Tribal communities in Louisiana worked together on a report submitted to the UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment. Also, after the BP oil spill disaster, we worked with oiled communities across the Southeast, and connected them with the communities that were in Prince William Sound to learn from and guide each other. It included faith communities, government entities, health communities, fishers and subsistence fishers and more. We are also involved in a National Science Foundation grant through Haskell Indian Nations University that is connecting groups from Indigenous communities in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Alaska. They are sharing types of Indigenous wisdom and knowledge to be able to counter climate stressors. The collaborative digs into both historical knowledge and wisdom, and spiritual practice, to see how we can move forward in a healthy, good way. Additionally, one of the leaders from a Tribal community of Grand Bayou just returned from a meeting with the UN Rapporteur and the UN Human Rights Commission in Brasil. It's imperative on us to find the resources and opportunities to get people to these different types of gatherings. This way, their voices become part of the larger conversation, and not just a sidebar or a passthrough.
MJ: Tell us about your climate resilience project(s)? In particular, can you discuss how it connects to climate displacement?
The communities that are part of our collective are adamant that they do not want anyone to decide for them about “managed retreat”. It brings with it huge baggage - the trail of tears, the trail of death, of betrayal and other kinds of atrocities, including urban renewal. It usually means that people of color are sent or locked into conditions that are far from just or equitable, or with choice. So, we are working diligently on “what does adaptation look like?” Adaptation in place and in different kinds of forms - for stewardship of land, water, and the whole aspect so that you don't disconnect the human from the non-human brothers and sisters.
The communities that are part of our collective are adamant that they do not want anyone to decide for them about “managed retreat”. It brings with it huge baggage - the trail of tears, the trail of death, of betrayal and other kinds of atrocities, including urban renewal. It usually means that people of color are sent or locked into conditions that are far from just or equitable, or with choice. So, we are working diligently on “what does adaptation look like?” Adaptation in place and in different kinds of forms - for stewardship of land, water, and the whole aspect so that you don't disconnect the human from the non-human brothers and sisters.
Since climate displacement is not just about humans, it's about our whole living world - how do we heal that? How do we make repairs? How do we make the way with policies for rematriation and policies that take away the violence that separates humans and our more-than-human brothers and sisters?
It is creation care at its ultimate. One project we’re working on now is with the Pointe au Chien Indian Tribe. Three years ago, Hurricane Ida - one of the largest, second most expensive, and most forceful hurricanes, second to Katrina - stayed eight hours over Pointe au Chien and it devastated a lot of the community. However, a greenhouse learning center that was just finished being built a month before the hurricane hit was not destroyed because it was built to the best standards possible, Fortified building standards. Several men of the Tribe built it as a collaborative. The survival of the greenhouse convinced the Tribe to do all the rebuilding of their homes in the same way. Because of where they're located, the severity of the storm, and reduced giving and volunteerism since COVID - Pointe au Chien was overlooked in the disaster recovery. Now that there are places for volunteers to come and stay, most of the resources from disaster funds have dried up and so there's no funds to do rebuilding, so we continue to fundraise. The project is about more than just rebuilding houses. It's reconnecting a Tribal community that has been attached to a place for thousands of years. For example, Pointe au Chien is also working on living shorelines with oyster shells to manage erosion. They've been working on canal projects to fill in oil and gas canals because 98% of the land loss in their area is due to the drilling and extraction of gas. We are on the fastest disappearing Delta in the world. The Delta is an incredibly important estuary to the waters of the Gulf, and a major flyway for birds and butterflies. Without it being restored, we're losing all that. In that, Pointe au Chien’s local knowledge of both the water and land of the estuary is exceedingly important to be able to do the kind of rebuilding that is necessary for the restoration of health of the estuary, and of the place. To have homes for the folks who know this, to live here, is paramount.
MJ: What would you tell someone interested in pursuing a similar goal?
First, educate yourself about the problem. Second, if you can volunteer in any kind of way please do. Congregations or groups of friends that can fundraise to help in this restoration project are direly needed. You can reach out to us at the Lowlander Center and 100% of everything that comes into the organization goes into the projects that are being done.
MJ: How does your work encourage “faithful resilience?”
You've heard the expression “it takes a village”. Well, the historied and Tribal communities that are “down the Bayou”, are the villages that have the mutual aid and camaraderie of understanding each other as brothers and sisters. They go beyond just the human element, but brothers and sisters kin to all the life-world around them. All of their decision making is done in that concept of all creation. It's not about the individual which is very different from many western communities where people make individual choices. This is more of the understanding of the early faith communities of really sharing in common. It's what we all need to get back to.
MJ: What would you tell someone interested in pursuing a similar goal?
First, educate yourself about the problem. Second, if you can volunteer in any kind of way please do. Congregations or groups of friends that can fundraise to help in this restoration project are direly needed. You can reach out to us at the Lowlander Center and 100% of everything that comes into the organization goes into the projects that are being done.
MJ: How does your work encourage “faithful resilience?”
You've heard the expression “it takes a village”. Well, the historied and Tribal communities that are “down the Bayou”, are the villages that have the mutual aid and camaraderie of understanding each other as brothers and sisters. They go beyond just the human element, but brothers and sisters kin to all the life-world around them. All of their decision making is done in that concept of all creation. It's not about the individual which is very different from many western communities where people make individual choices. This is more of the understanding of the early faith communities of really sharing in common. It's what we all need to get back to.
And, when hospitality is in abundance in the face of austerity - how beautiful is that? How beautiful is it when a person goes out to shrimp, and brings the catch, it's the catch that was gifting them.
They weren't taking but there was gifting and the blessing of the water back for the shrimp. It's that kind of reciprocity that goes on and is understood as being a core value. It doesn't get any more spiritual than that. It's the core of love and it's the core of total respect.
MJ: What is something else you would like the Creation Justice community to know?
Social and environmental justice intersect and have to be one of the same. We have to address these issues in their complexity. We have to decolonize ourselves in every kind of way possible to be able to open our ears, our minds and our hearts to the violence that has happened - the violence of someone having privilege over others, and how that privilege goes into every element of our lives, which also hinders every element of other people's lives. We all need to do that kind of examination and we need to support those who are really striving to undo those ties and do it with love and do it with justice.
MJ: What is something else you would like the Creation Justice community to know?
Social and environmental justice intersect and have to be one of the same. We have to address these issues in their complexity. We have to decolonize ourselves in every kind of way possible to be able to open our ears, our minds and our hearts to the violence that has happened - the violence of someone having privilege over others, and how that privilege goes into every element of our lives, which also hinders every element of other people's lives. We all need to do that kind of examination and we need to support those who are really striving to undo those ties and do it with love and do it with justice.
Amos 7:7-15
7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?
And I said, "A plumb line."
Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'"
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?
And I said, "A plumb line."
Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'"
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
It is natural to feel uncomfortable when discussing death, exile, and the destruction of cities and peoples. The Lord does not rejoice in the punishment of the wicked but rather desires their repentance (Ez 18:23). Moreover, the Lord has a special concern for the poor, the orphan, and the widow. Jesus' words speak loudly, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:20b-21).
In the book of Amos, we encounter this tension. Amos prophesies exile and death to the people of Israel and even to the king. To Amos, it seems clear that this is punishment for Israel's failure to follow the Lord. However, there are many instances where this clarity is lacking. The story of Job is a prime example, and the psalmist frequently asks, “Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?” Especially today, it often feels difficult to distinguish an outcome or decision that is purely “good,” and we witness significant decisions impacting the lives of many innocent people.
Today, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. Born in 1656 in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, she survived smallpox at age four, although her family did not. Tekakwitha faced additional hardships living with her adoptive Mohawk family, experiencing war against neighboring tribes and the burning of her village by French colonists in present-day Fonda, New York. Influenced by Jesuit priests, she converted to Catholicism and diligently prayed for the salvation of the Mohawk people. At age 11, Tekakwitha joined French priest Jean Pierron to tend to the wounded, bury the dead, and carry food and water to the Indigenous peoples affected by tribal war.
Tekakwitha continued to join her tribe during hunting season, carving crosses into trees to remind herself of Christ. She spent her time working, praying, and meditating outdoors. Through visiting priests, she learned catechesis and was baptized after St. Catherine of Siena. When persecution to marry intensified at age 19, she fled her home and moved to St. Francis Xavier, a “Christian Indian mission.” There, she was influenced by the community of Native American converts, making deep connections with them and God. Tekakwitha reportedly slept on thorns while praying for her relatives' conversion and forgiveness, practicing the traditional Mohawk act of piercing her body. She once said, “I will willingly abandon this miserable body to hunger and suffering, provided that my soul may have its ordinary nourishment.”
Tekakwitha is also quoted as saying, “I have deliberated enough. For a long time, my decision on what I will do has been made. I have consecrated myself entirely to Jesus, son of Mary. I have chosen Him for husband, and He alone will take me for wife.” She and her friend Marie Thérèse Tegaianguenta attempted to start a Native religious order, but their idea was rejected. She died at age 24.
The life of Kateri Tekakwitha can evoke discomfort. Some Indigenous people have mixed feelings about her canonization, as her story is intertwined with the tragedies of colonization. Some believe she was canonized to bolster the Church's image among Native Americans. Nevertheless, she is generally respected among Catholics and indigenous Mohawks, who see her sainthood as a unique bridge between two cultures, potentially fostering unity.
Pope John Paul II said of Kateri Tekakwitha, “Even when she dedicated herself fully to Jesus Christ, to the point of taking the prophetic step of making a vow of perpetual virginity, she always remained what she was, a true daughter of her people, following her tribe in the hunting seasons and continuing her devotions in the environment most suited to her way of life, before a rough cross carved by herself in the forest. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the great gift of God’s love, is never in contrast with what is noble and pure in the life of any tribe or nation, since all good things are his gifts.”
Like Amos was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees, Tekakwitha was not born a prophet, but was instead a hunter and a person of deep respect for Creation. Yet, through God's grace, both became instruments used by God to guide people toward truth and love.
How can our connection to Creation and our daily work help us discover and fulfill God’s purpose for our lives?
Information taken from:
https://www.kateri.org/our-patron-saint/#:~:text=Saint%20Kateri%27s%20feast%20day%20is,Kahnawake%2C%20near%20Montreal%2C%20Quebec
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=154
Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.
In the book of Amos, we encounter this tension. Amos prophesies exile and death to the people of Israel and even to the king. To Amos, it seems clear that this is punishment for Israel's failure to follow the Lord. However, there are many instances where this clarity is lacking. The story of Job is a prime example, and the psalmist frequently asks, “Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?” Especially today, it often feels difficult to distinguish an outcome or decision that is purely “good,” and we witness significant decisions impacting the lives of many innocent people.
Today, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. Born in 1656 in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, she survived smallpox at age four, although her family did not. Tekakwitha faced additional hardships living with her adoptive Mohawk family, experiencing war against neighboring tribes and the burning of her village by French colonists in present-day Fonda, New York. Influenced by Jesuit priests, she converted to Catholicism and diligently prayed for the salvation of the Mohawk people. At age 11, Tekakwitha joined French priest Jean Pierron to tend to the wounded, bury the dead, and carry food and water to the Indigenous peoples affected by tribal war.
Tekakwitha continued to join her tribe during hunting season, carving crosses into trees to remind herself of Christ. She spent her time working, praying, and meditating outdoors. Through visiting priests, she learned catechesis and was baptized after St. Catherine of Siena. When persecution to marry intensified at age 19, she fled her home and moved to St. Francis Xavier, a “Christian Indian mission.” There, she was influenced by the community of Native American converts, making deep connections with them and God. Tekakwitha reportedly slept on thorns while praying for her relatives' conversion and forgiveness, practicing the traditional Mohawk act of piercing her body. She once said, “I will willingly abandon this miserable body to hunger and suffering, provided that my soul may have its ordinary nourishment.”
Tekakwitha is also quoted as saying, “I have deliberated enough. For a long time, my decision on what I will do has been made. I have consecrated myself entirely to Jesus, son of Mary. I have chosen Him for husband, and He alone will take me for wife.” She and her friend Marie Thérèse Tegaianguenta attempted to start a Native religious order, but their idea was rejected. She died at age 24.
The life of Kateri Tekakwitha can evoke discomfort. Some Indigenous people have mixed feelings about her canonization, as her story is intertwined with the tragedies of colonization. Some believe she was canonized to bolster the Church's image among Native Americans. Nevertheless, she is generally respected among Catholics and indigenous Mohawks, who see her sainthood as a unique bridge between two cultures, potentially fostering unity.
Pope John Paul II said of Kateri Tekakwitha, “Even when she dedicated herself fully to Jesus Christ, to the point of taking the prophetic step of making a vow of perpetual virginity, she always remained what she was, a true daughter of her people, following her tribe in the hunting seasons and continuing her devotions in the environment most suited to her way of life, before a rough cross carved by herself in the forest. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the great gift of God’s love, is never in contrast with what is noble and pure in the life of any tribe or nation, since all good things are his gifts.”
Like Amos was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees, Tekakwitha was not born a prophet, but was instead a hunter and a person of deep respect for Creation. Yet, through God's grace, both became instruments used by God to guide people toward truth and love.
How can our connection to Creation and our daily work help us discover and fulfill God’s purpose for our lives?
Information taken from:
https://www.kateri.org/our-patron-saint/#:~:text=Saint%20Kateri%27s%20feast%20day%20is,Kahnawake%2C%20near%20Montreal%2C%20Quebec
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=154
Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.
Moving Beyond the Defensive Game: A Conversation with Kyle Crider of the People’s Justice Council
7/8/2024
Molly Johnson (MJ) spoke with Kyle Crider (KC) of People’s Justice Council about moving from a resilience to restoration approach in the face of climate change.
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MJ: Tell us about your organization and your goal?
KC: The People’s Justice Council (PJC) is an interfaith organization based in Birmingham, AL. We operate at the nexus of climate, energy and justice. We are all about making sure that people and planet are not sacrificed on the altar of power and profits. We are also Alabama Interfaith Power & Light (AIPL). AIPL is a program of PJC and a chapter of National Interfaith Power & Light. So we wear two hats around our office, Rev. Michael Malcom is the Executive Director of both organizations and I'm Program and Policy Director for both organizations. |
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MJ: Tell us about your “From Resilience to Restoration project?
KC: Restoration is now pretty much our biggest umbrella. In 2022, we were awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Academies to do the “From Resilience to Restoration” (FRTR) program. We were pleased that they loved our approach of reaching out to houses of faith in frontline communities, because as you know very well, these are already acting as resilient centers. But like the wise old coach says, we can't win if we play a purely defensive game. So, we want to shift the needle from resilience to restoration. To do so, we developed this “3 E” framework. 1. Ecological Restoration - we all know why that one that's vital. 2. Economic Elevation - in frontline communities, we're not talking about restoring the economy, we're talking about elevating the economy to a level it's never been. 3. Ecumenical Restoration, which we use in a broader interfaith sense, not just Christian interdenominational in its traditional usage, because we work with houses of all faiths. We have a three tier framework - the top tier is the national resource, where we're sharing wonderful articles that have anything to do with resiliency and restoration. Then we have the state hubs in the Gulf South where we’ve worked with partners from Texas to Florida. Finally, we have restoration plans at the Frontline community level, where our real emphasis is. I'm glad to say thanks to our wonderful partners, we work with dozens of communities across the south. And we have spent a lot of time traveling and documenting their wonderful stories.
KC: Restoration is now pretty much our biggest umbrella. In 2022, we were awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Academies to do the “From Resilience to Restoration” (FRTR) program. We were pleased that they loved our approach of reaching out to houses of faith in frontline communities, because as you know very well, these are already acting as resilient centers. But like the wise old coach says, we can't win if we play a purely defensive game. So, we want to shift the needle from resilience to restoration. To do so, we developed this “3 E” framework. 1. Ecological Restoration - we all know why that one that's vital. 2. Economic Elevation - in frontline communities, we're not talking about restoring the economy, we're talking about elevating the economy to a level it's never been. 3. Ecumenical Restoration, which we use in a broader interfaith sense, not just Christian interdenominational in its traditional usage, because we work with houses of all faiths. We have a three tier framework - the top tier is the national resource, where we're sharing wonderful articles that have anything to do with resiliency and restoration. Then we have the state hubs in the Gulf South where we’ve worked with partners from Texas to Florida. Finally, we have restoration plans at the Frontline community level, where our real emphasis is. I'm glad to say thanks to our wonderful partners, we work with dozens of communities across the south. And we have spent a lot of time traveling and documenting their wonderful stories.
MJ: How does your work encourage “faithful resilience?”
KC: In terms of the ecumenical restoration, we all know that we got to combat the toxic theology that’s put us in this situation - the sort of thinking that Jesus is coming tomorrow and it's all gonna burn so you know why should we care about endangered species or social justice or any of the things Jesus talked about? We have got to combat that toxic theology with love and with a positive restoration theology. Frontline communities are already doing this in a very practical way. They're already acting as resilient centers. I’ve said before, it's almost like the loaves and fishes miracle in the Bible, when we got the representatives of the frontline communities together and talking, we found that this person's needs over here are met by this person's resources over here. We weren’t there to help them, we were just amazed as these connections were made, just by getting the faithful together in the same room. There are some real wonderful stories coming out of all that. That's faithful resiliency.
KC: In terms of the ecumenical restoration, we all know that we got to combat the toxic theology that’s put us in this situation - the sort of thinking that Jesus is coming tomorrow and it's all gonna burn so you know why should we care about endangered species or social justice or any of the things Jesus talked about? We have got to combat that toxic theology with love and with a positive restoration theology. Frontline communities are already doing this in a very practical way. They're already acting as resilient centers. I’ve said before, it's almost like the loaves and fishes miracle in the Bible, when we got the representatives of the frontline communities together and talking, we found that this person's needs over here are met by this person's resources over here. We weren’t there to help them, we were just amazed as these connections were made, just by getting the faithful together in the same room. There are some real wonderful stories coming out of all that. That's faithful resiliency.
MJ: What inspired your action?
KC: I think of the quotation about Archimedes lever:
KC: I think of the quotation about Archimedes lever:
“Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it and I shall move the Earth”. Well, these houses of faith are a powerful lever to move the Bible belt, the Gulf South and the whole world.
MJ: What would be your hope for the future of this project?
KC: We have lots of hopes. Our first cohort wrapped up in August 2023 after an 18 month grant. We would love a second cohort. We want the first cohort to be the groundbreakers, not the end. So the next phase we want is to take FRTR to the whole South and beyond. One of the immediate needs that requires help from all of our wonderful partners, CJM included, is to match resources for these community needs. Because yes, we have had many Loaves and Fishes moments, but it's hard to find places in the south, anywhere close to where we're working that is not a Justice40 community. We desperately need to funnel federal funding and private grants into the communities. An upcoming project we have, inspired by a conversation with a private funder, is to set up a trip so that funders can visit frontline communities and meet folks in person.
MJ: What would you tell someone interested in pursuing a similar goal? What is something you would like the Creation Justice community to know?
KC: The last thing I’ll say is that resilience work is vital. We're all doing resilience work. But when you're implying to a frontline community that “we're here to help you become more resilient”, it sounds like “we're here to help you roll with the punches.” We've got to stop pummeling our frontline communities. That's why as vital as resiliency is, it's not enough. You can’t win by playing a purely defensive game. So we want to shift that emphasis to restoration. In ecological restoration, that means native species, biodiversity, preserving the mangroves, planning on the coast, or whatever. For economic elevation, it's things like worker-owned coops, keeping the dollars in the community where they belong, and keeping the dollar stores and community destroyers out. You can see lots of shining examples featured in the FRTR videos.
KC: We have lots of hopes. Our first cohort wrapped up in August 2023 after an 18 month grant. We would love a second cohort. We want the first cohort to be the groundbreakers, not the end. So the next phase we want is to take FRTR to the whole South and beyond. One of the immediate needs that requires help from all of our wonderful partners, CJM included, is to match resources for these community needs. Because yes, we have had many Loaves and Fishes moments, but it's hard to find places in the south, anywhere close to where we're working that is not a Justice40 community. We desperately need to funnel federal funding and private grants into the communities. An upcoming project we have, inspired by a conversation with a private funder, is to set up a trip so that funders can visit frontline communities and meet folks in person.
MJ: What would you tell someone interested in pursuing a similar goal? What is something you would like the Creation Justice community to know?
KC: The last thing I’ll say is that resilience work is vital. We're all doing resilience work. But when you're implying to a frontline community that “we're here to help you become more resilient”, it sounds like “we're here to help you roll with the punches.” We've got to stop pummeling our frontline communities. That's why as vital as resiliency is, it's not enough. You can’t win by playing a purely defensive game. So we want to shift that emphasis to restoration. In ecological restoration, that means native species, biodiversity, preserving the mangroves, planning on the coast, or whatever. For economic elevation, it's things like worker-owned coops, keeping the dollars in the community where they belong, and keeping the dollar stores and community destroyers out. You can see lots of shining examples featured in the FRTR videos.
Psalm 123
1 To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. 4 Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.
Mark 6:1-13
1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
1 To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. 4 Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.
Mark 6:1-13
1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
The Lord who is enthroned in the heavens, the one whom the people of God serve as their mistress or master, came down to his people, and they dishonored him like the prophets of old. In answer to their prayer for mercy, Jesus came to end the contempt of the proud but was rejected. There is so much that feels backward here. How can God come as part of creation? Why did God come in such a “normal” way that people didn’t even recognize him?
Instead of performing an even greater miracle to prove his identity as God, Jesus sent the disciples out with nothing, asking them to trust God to provide for their needs through the acts of others. Again, I ask myself, why this way? Why choose to work through creation when you can just make things happen yourself, God?
These questions lead me to a response of great awe and comfort: God chooses to work through the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. God chooses to deify creation instead of rejecting it and to transform the world through love and faith instead of force and fear.
God came through Mary as part of creation. While we know nothing was ordinary about his birth, from the outside, it seemed plain—a child born to an ordinary woman. But God honored and loved the ordinary act of mothering and birthing by being born through a woman. He grew up in Nazareth with his relatives, family friends, and neighbors. His childhood must have seemed ordinary, for the people of the town could not believe the miracles and teachings that Jesus performed when he returned during his ministry.
When Jesus visited his hometown, he did what one would ordinarily do—he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus didn’t say, “Come to the new building I made appear out of thin air and listen to my new teachings!” Instead, he went to the normal meeting place and transformed the understanding of the Scriptures, teaching with boldness.
Even the act of performing miracles to bring the kingdom of God to earth shows that God is not interested in leaving or annihilating creation but transforming and renewing it. To bring the Kingdom to earth means to heal bodies and make them well, to see that things are not quite right but carry the seed of the divine waiting to be resurrected. Thankfully, all will be transformed like the resurrected body of Jesus—physical and divine, not a purely spiritual awakening that leaves earth for the celestial kingdom. The firstborn of all creation is the Kingdom of God.
Let us see how Jesus came in “ordinary time” to make the extraordinary happen and how we can work with creation to bring the Kingdom of God. Let us see the seed of God in all things, praying for resurrection.
Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.
Instead of performing an even greater miracle to prove his identity as God, Jesus sent the disciples out with nothing, asking them to trust God to provide for their needs through the acts of others. Again, I ask myself, why this way? Why choose to work through creation when you can just make things happen yourself, God?
These questions lead me to a response of great awe and comfort: God chooses to work through the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. God chooses to deify creation instead of rejecting it and to transform the world through love and faith instead of force and fear.
God came through Mary as part of creation. While we know nothing was ordinary about his birth, from the outside, it seemed plain—a child born to an ordinary woman. But God honored and loved the ordinary act of mothering and birthing by being born through a woman. He grew up in Nazareth with his relatives, family friends, and neighbors. His childhood must have seemed ordinary, for the people of the town could not believe the miracles and teachings that Jesus performed when he returned during his ministry.
When Jesus visited his hometown, he did what one would ordinarily do—he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus didn’t say, “Come to the new building I made appear out of thin air and listen to my new teachings!” Instead, he went to the normal meeting place and transformed the understanding of the Scriptures, teaching with boldness.
Even the act of performing miracles to bring the kingdom of God to earth shows that God is not interested in leaving or annihilating creation but transforming and renewing it. To bring the Kingdom to earth means to heal bodies and make them well, to see that things are not quite right but carry the seed of the divine waiting to be resurrected. Thankfully, all will be transformed like the resurrected body of Jesus—physical and divine, not a purely spiritual awakening that leaves earth for the celestial kingdom. The firstborn of all creation is the Kingdom of God.
Let us see how Jesus came in “ordinary time” to make the extraordinary happen and how we can work with creation to bring the Kingdom of God. Let us see the seed of God in all things, praying for resurrection.
Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.
About this Blog
This blog shares the activities of Creation Justice Ministries. We educate and equip Christians to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation.
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