Waiting for what? 3. Words to be translated into action

What do we say after Copenhagen? Let’s not fool ourselves, this conference has proved what we are up against. Our leaders have failed to agree on legally binding emissions targets. The spiritual struggle has possibly never been more obvious. And now as we face the task of turning fine words into action can we draw inspiration from The Word who became flesh?

Those in the know have been saying for months that Copenhagen would not deliver. The US were not ready. The deals could not be done. And now it has proven so. Yet it is very hard not to feel a deep mourning about this. It would have been so good if they could have risen to the challenge, shrugged off their vested interests, ignored the clamours of the corporations and financiers, and done something for the sake for us all, including the earth and her non- human creatures, who, of course, remained silent through it all.

But we are where we are and it is now clear that there is no easy political fix to the environmental challenges we face, just as there is no quick fix through geo-engineering. The struggle will go on, probably for decades, and it must involve all of us. No leaders will solve this for us, at least not on their own. Hence EarthAbbey calls people to unite around ‘encouraging one another to journey towards a life more in tune with the earth’. Will you join us?

And for our meditation in this deep and dark December, we reflect on ‘The Word made flesh’, the assertion made in the prologue to John’s gospel that the one ‘through whom all things were made’ actually became one of those ‘things’, participating as a creature in creation.

Some modern translations speak of the Word becoming ‘a human being’, or taking on ‘human nature’, but neither of these is quite adequate. The intention of the writer, I think, is to show us that this divine Word actually became flesh and blood, as a participant creature, of the same stuff as all the rest of creation. You can see this in the nest of words which often accompany the word ‘flesh’ in John’s gospel, like ‘perish’ and ‘life’. The fact is that all plants and all creatures experience vulnerability, decay and death. They perish. To speak of this divine one as flesh was to join him into this world of things that perish. But it was also to assert more. It was to point to the possibility of transformation, a ‘life’ that begins now and is marked by a new quality of being, that can overcome and go on into the future. So it is that, through John’s gospel we read of the one who became a participant in creation in order to transform it.

Strange stuff we may say. But this carries a much more practical meaning as well. This Christian insight shows us that true faith must also be incarnated, made real in the here and now. And that it concerns our relationship with the whole creation. There is far too much talk in religion, just as there is far too much talk amongst politicians. Today is a day for action. We must live the stuff we say, and we must begin that journey. Only then we shall we become people, who can genuinely encourage others.

For more on John’s gospel as a contemplative resource

If you would like to laugh at Copenhagen try this ‘Dr Zeuss’ extract from The Now Show currently available on iplayer

Suggested Task: Coal in the crib

On ‘Any Questions’ this week someone suggested adding a lump of coal to crib scenes to symbolise our prayer that we might learn to break our dependence on fossil fuels. You may have a crib scene at home or in a church, where you could do this.

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