Sometimes I go on theological toots. I come by it honestly, having spent two years in a Benedictine seminary pursuing an M.A. related to pastoral counseling. In one of my courses we used a text about the doctrine of compunction, as in tears of; a heightened sense of awareness over our abject sinfulness. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the baptists would probably get along famously over this one, but I digress.
The cover of this text shows a Russian icon style painting of the two Mary’s weeping at the foot of the cross, and which in a fuller theological treatment suggests the sorrow of seeing God crucified by us. We rejected the message of God’s forgiveness. Looking at this icon yesterday it flashed immediately through my mind that we have crucified God again, and tears of compunction are called for.
We are poisoning this planet which used to be a paradise. We have crucified God’s creation; we have rejected the gift that is creation. For the non-believers among you, the message is the same. Weep for what we have done to the earth. For the Nietzsche fans, God is dead, for we have killed him. For the believers, stand at the foot of the cross and mourn.