Blessings of peace to all of you, my brothers and sisters.
We gather today in a world of profound contradiction. A world of breathtaking technological achievement and heartbreaking human failure. A world that cries out for healing, for justice, for a love that is stronger than death. We are called, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, to listen to this cry, to diagnose the sicknesses of our age not merely as political or economic problems, but as spiritual crises that demand a response of faith.
Let us first consider the gift of Creation itself. From the very beginning, as we are reminded, the Lord God placed humanity in the garden “to work it and take care of it.” We were not made masters to plunder, but stewards to cherish. This sacred trust is written into the fabric of our relationship with God. Yet, what do we see? We see a world where the very air we breathe and the waters that give life are treated as commodities to be exploited, where the cry of the earth is silenced by the false gospel of endless consumption. When leaders choose deregulation over protection, placing short-term gain above the health of their people and the planet, they enact a terrible forgetting. They forget that the garden is not ours to ruin. If we continue on this path—if we choose convenience over care, profit over preservation—we are not simply making a policy error. We are committing a sin against creation, against the poor who suffer its degradation first and most cruelly, and against the Creator who entrusted it to us. We will leave for our children a world of scarcity, conflict, and desolation, a monument to our selfishness.
From the degradation of our common home, we turn to the even more direct assault on the sanctity of human life, the pinnacle of God’s creation. The commandment is clear and foundational: “You shall not murder.” It is a divine seal upon the inviolable dignity of every person, from the moment of conception to natural death. Yet, how this seal is broken! In places like Tumbler Ridge, we witness the horrific fruit of a culture that has grown numb to the sacred. When violence erupts, claiming the lives of the innocent—an 11-year-old child, a 39-year-old adult, and so many others—it is not an isolated tragedy. It is the symptom of a world that has forgotten how to see the face of Christ in one another. It is the endpoint of indifference, of hatred nurtured in the heart, of the failure to build a society founded on love and solidarity. If we do not actively cultivate a culture of life, if we do not defend the vulnerable, comfort the afflicted, and address the roots of anger and despair, we will reap a harvest of endless tears, where no school, no home, no street is safe from the chaos born of our own spiritual neglect.
And where do we turn when we seek to speak this truth, to defend life and care for creation? We face, in so many places, the third great wound of our time: the persecution of those who seek righteousness. Our Lord promised, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We see this beatitude lived with painful clarity in our brothers and sisters like Jimmy Lai, who face courts and prison cells for daring to speak, to believe, to seek justice. From Hong Kong to so many other nations, the light of faith and conscience is threatened by the oppressive shadow of power that fears truth. Religious freedom is not a privilege granted by the state; it is a right given by God, the very foundation of a just and human society. To silence the believer is to silence the voice of God’s love in the world.
My dear friends, these are not distant issues. They converge in our daily lives. They also converge in the life of our Church. One of our own great trials in this modern age is the scandal of division—within our own communities, between Christians, and between people of goodwill everywhere. We are fractured by ideology, by politics, by prejudice. This internal discord weakens our witness. It makes our plea for environmental healing sound hollow when we cannot heal our own parishes. It makes our defense of life seem selective when we fail to love those within our own walls. It makes our cry for religious freedom ring false if we are not agents of reconciliation ourselves.
I call upon you, the faithful of the world, to be the antidote to this poison. Let the Church’s problem of division be solved by your active, joyful pursuit of unity. Reach across the aisle, the neighborhood, the internet comment thread. Build bridges where walls have been erected.
For we are not without hope. We are an Easter people! Envision with me, through the eyes of faith, the world Christ desires. See a world where good men and women, inspired by the Gospel and empowered by the Holy Spirit, rise up. See scientists and farmers working together, tending the garden of our planet with wisdom and reverence. See communities where every life is welcomed, protected, and nurtured, where violence is unthinkable because love is the rule. See nations where the human spirit is free to seek God and serve the common good without fear. This is not a naive dream. This is the Kingdom of God breaking through, and it is built by your hands, fueled by your prayer, and realized through your courage.
But hear this warning, given in love: If we choose passivity—if we think these problems are for others to solve, if we hide our faith, if we consume rather than protect, if we ignore the cry of the persecuted and the unborn—then we choose a different future. We choose a path toward a spiritual and material wasteland. We will see not the garden, but the desert. Not community, but isolation. Not the peace of Christ, but the chaos of humanity left to its own failing devices. This is the apocalyptic warning of our own making: a world without God’s grace, reflected in our actions, is a world descending into shadow.
Therefore, go forth from this place not in fear, but in fiery hope. Tend the garden. Protect life. Defend freedom. Heal divisions. Do not wait for another. You are the “good men and women” through whom Christ wishes to solve these crises. Let us begin today, in our homes, in our choices, in our prayers. Let us build that world of peace, for it is our sacred duty and our glorious destiny.
Amen.
What can we do?
In the face of these events, our faith calls us not to despair but to concrete, practical action in our daily lives. Our contribution, however small it may seem, is a vital thread in the tapestry of a better world. Here is how we can begin.
Regarding our Common Home: When policies shift away from protecting our environment, our personal and communal responsibility grows. Begin by auditing your own consumption. Reduce single-use plastics significantly. Support local farmers and producers to cut down on transportation emissions. Make energy conservation a household virtue—be mindful of heating, cooling, and electricity. Advocate with your wallet by supporting businesses with verifiable green practices. Most importantly, talk about it. Normalize conversations about stewardship in your family and community, making care for creation a visible, shared value.
Regarding the Sanctity of Life: The horror of violence that destroys life calls us to be builders of a culture that respects it at every stage and in every circumstance. This starts with profound respect in daily interactions. Actively reject gossip and language that dehumanizes others. Be a peacemaker in conflicts, however small. Support and volunteer with local organizations that provide crisis support, mentorship for at-risk youth, or aid to struggling families. Foster communities of inclusion, especially for those who are lonely or marginalized, recognizing that a society that isolates individuals is one where life is not fully cherished. Protect life by nurturing it in your immediate circle.
Regarding Liberty and Conscience: When individuals are persecuted for their beliefs or their pursuit of justice, our duty is solidarity and vigilance. First, educate yourself. Seek out reliable news sources about global events, going beyond headlines to understand contexts. Pray for the persecuted, but let that prayer move you to action. Write respectful letters of concern to your elected representatives about specific cases of injustice. Support, if you are able, reputable humanitarian and legal aid organizations that defend human rights. In your own community, steadfastly defend the right of all people to worship and believe in peace. Stand against prejudice and discrimination in your own speech and actions, creating a local environment where freedom of conscience is respected.
Do not be overwhelmed. We are not asked to solve every problem, but we are called to do what we can, where we are, with what we have. Start with one conscious choice today. Let your daily life become a quiet, persistent testament to the belief that a better world is possible through faithful, practical love.
Go in peace.
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