Why?

It's been about a year since I officially crossed the line to vegetarianism. It's been about 10 months since I officially embraced a vegan lifestyle. Over these past few weeks, I've been considering another dietary transition as I have been reading about and trying out aspects of a "raw vegan diet".

What was initially "Raw Mondays" began turning into "Raw Other Days" as I found myself enjoying the experience, struggling at times, but finding it very intriguing to consider what "raw foodism" is all about.

While I've not made any "official" transitions, all this is causing me to ask myself again, "WHY?" Why do I do what I do? Why do I choose certain foods, a certain lifestyle, certain values?

With Earth Day coming up on Tuesday, April 22nd, I was asked to speak to a church congregation today about environmental issues. My intention was to have them each consider "WHY" they do what they do when it comes to the world God has created.

Using St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Creatures, I shared the one word I believe to be the theological foundation of Franciscan Creation Theology = "fraternitas". Because God is our Creator, the Source of all, our Father, Mother, Parent, we are in essence related to all else that God has made, one family living together in the one home we call earth.

I believe our brotherhood/sisterhood (our fraternitas) with all of creation should be the framework for our choices. In looking at Sister Water, Eric Doyle, a Franciscan theologian in his book, The Song of Brotherhood and Sisterhood writes: "Water is a creature like (ourselves). As a creature, water is our sister, and it is hardly normal to pour toxic acid into your sister!" (p. 56). How we treat members in our biological family as we consider their needs is how we are to treat members in our "cosmic family".

Why do I make some of the choices I do in terms of my diet and lifestyle? It is because of compassion, my desire to live in harmonious relationship with all my brothers and sisters, human and non-human, everything that finds life in the same God who gives life to me, too.

When it comes to a raw vegan diet, I know that 100% raw will not work for me. Compassion is too great a value in my life. While I have compassion for animals and the natural world, I also want to live in compassion with my human brothers and sisters. I do not want my dietary decisions of ahimsa to offend someone who has gone out of their way to serve me. Thus, I make dietary exceptions. I guess I'm really a vegan, a "compassionate % of the time". Though it is not often I will stray at this juncture, I do not allow legalism of a dietary decision to keep me from caring for another.

I am encouraged because I see that in Francis of Assisi. The story is told that while on a strict diet, Francis saw one of his brothers who was very sick and needed food but refused to eat because he wanted to show how holy he really was. Francis, out of compassion, took grapes and ate them first, breaking his dietary holiness to encourage his brother to eat. Compassion.

Earth Day is on Tuesday. It is a good time, I believe, for each of us to consider again why we do what do, why we make the choices we make each day. I pray that compassion for the earth, compassion for all your brother and sisters in the cosmic family will become the foundation of daily decisions for you.

You run some. You lose some. Praise God anyway.

My plan for TODAY was to run 13.1 miles in the Santa Cruz Half-Marathon. The only problem: The event occurred YESTERDAY, and I totally missed it. I had it in my calendar for today, April 13, and since registering and paying $55, I could have sworn it was on the Sunday of this weekend, but no. It was on the Saturday, April 12. And unfortunately I didn't discover my error until Saturday morning, as I finally sat down to read the reminder emails with parking instructions, route information, and so forth.

People have different motivations in running, and one motivation for me has been food. Missing the race, I "eat" the pre-registration fee, and I lose out on eating what had been my motivation for running this race an hour away in Santa Cruz. After the 13.1 miles I was going to treat myself to vegan chocolate cake at Black China Bakery! Missing out on vegan chocolate cake is probably the most disappointing part of missing the run today (along with losing the registration fee).

I've never been to Black China Bakery before, but after my cousin gave me some vegan chocolate goodies for Christmas from there, a pilgrimage to their location has been my great eating desire. I guess I'll just need to find another excuse to head down there.

In the meantime, with the warmth of spring filling the forest, I will go for a nice leisurely run, clear my head, and enjoy the wonder of new life blooming all around. I may have missed the race, but I will not miss the opportunity today to go out and praise God with all creation for the beauty the Creator has made. I hope you'll find sometime to get out today and enjoy God as well. No matter what happens in life, I believe it is important to praise God anyway.

As I am in the midst of my studies this semester at the Franciscan School of Theology, doing a comparative study of the Canticle of the Creations, may these words of St Francis of Assisi fill you with praise as you rejoice in who God is through all that God has made.

Spring has sprung and the miracle of new life is blooming all over. Let us join with all creation in praise of our Creator.

THE CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours be the praises, the glory, the honor, and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and who is worthy to mention your name?

Praised be You, my lord, with all your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be you, my Lord, through those who give pardon for your love
and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

(If you are interested in watching a YouTube video of the interpretation of the Canticle in "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", the 1972 classic of Francis' life, click here.)
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