Justice & Peace

Introduction

Carmelites are called to follow Jesus Christ (In Obsequio Jesu Christi, Const. 1995, no.2).  He is the Word made flesh and dwells among us (John 1:14). Through the incarnation of Jesus, though he was in the form of God … he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men (Phil 2:6-7). He has come to the world to love and redeem us through his suffering, death, and resurrection (John 3:17).

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The Spiritual Pathway to a Sustainable Environment

PRINCIPLES

1. The roots of the ecological crisis are linked to the way human beings relate both to the Divine and to nature.

2. The human heart is not satisfied with anything less than the Infinite.

3. Created things can never take the place of God.

4. God has created us to live in harmony with all created things and with God the Creator.

5. Societies with no understanding of this will seek to deal with unlimited human desire by fostering consumerism by every means possible.

I remember my first Christmas celebrations back in Malaysia where I grew up. As a child, I had always sensed the wonder of ‘holy’ days, knowing deep inside that every special day worth celebrating had spiritual roots.

Being Asian, food was always a big part of any celebration and that came as an added bonus. Those holidays were meaningful, significant and every childhood memory became seminal treasures. Dishes and types of food were unique to each celebration or season,

On the 15th of October 2010, the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Rome organized World Food Day in which Fr. Boby Sebastian (James Tharakunnel), O. Carm., executive secretary of the JPIC Commission of the Order participated.