Reflections on Creation

By Bro. Bob Metell, SDB

“Voyagers on the sea in ships, plying their trade on the great ocean, have seen the great works of Yahweh, his wonders in the deep. By his word he raised a storm-wind, lashing up towering waves. They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight.” (Psalm 107:6, 23-25,28)

I first saw this quote from Psalm 107 on the side support beams of “Our Lady of Good Voyage” Seaport Shrine in South Boston, where I attended both Mass and the Reconciliation Holy Hour on Sundays. The quote caught my eye when I was on the communion line last Christmas. Coming from a seafaring family, I was left deeply impressed by this quote. During my tenure in the Coast Guard, at sea assigned to various Coast Guard cutters, I found the meaning behind the quote truly resonated with me. During visits to the Shrine for Mass, meditation, or quiet time, individuals often reflect on the Psalm.

Since humans have walked the earth, they have marveled at God’s beauty and creation from the stars of the heavens to the wonders of the sea. From the powerful demonstrations of Mother Earth in the giant and powerful volcanoes to the smallest, gentle ripples on a pond or lake, people can experience wonders to behold.

I am a naturalist and an adventurer at heart. My Algonquin roots call me into the wild, where I can speak and listen to the whisper of Yahweh in the songs of birds and the howling of a wolf. Every breath of fresh air around me is a reminder of the grandeur of the Creator. A cacophony of smells can be enjoyed in the forest. I can appreciate the aroma of fresh-cut grass and the sweet smell of the rose. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to take it all in. Walking in the forest, marsh, or along the seashore offers much enjoyment.

Yet there are hidden dangers. I have encountered a mama bear and cub in the Green Mountains of Vermont, as well as timber rattlesnakes in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts. Hiking in Florida also comes with its beauty and dangers in the forms of water moccasins, alligators, and panthers. While they may become scared, angry, and vicious⁠—who would not be⁠—when they suddenly are awakened from a nap. After all, we are trekking through their homes!

However, not all is a paradise; humans have found a way to take Yahweh’s creation of grandeur and beauty and turn it into an abomination. Sadly, humanity has robbed Mother Earth of her minerals for metals, fuels, and riches due to their false worship of the almighty dollar. Greed has ripped apart the land, as well as polluted the air and water for human comforts. The oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds are turned into dumping grounds due to human thirst for money and greed.

However, hope remains because nature's power can bring both destruction and renewal. She whips up storms that cleanse the earth of the filth humans have placed there. We must act now to repair human-caused damage.

The Cree Nation has a proverb:

“Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money.