Earth Day 2011, Good Friday

previously posted in my own blog: Solid Wise Solution

Tags for The Day:  Earth Day, Good Friday, Earth, Air, Water.. Environment, Ecology, Green Education, Green Energy.. Agriculture, Mining, Wars, Conflicts, Markets, Sports, Prayer, Pollution, Energy Saving Efforts..

These days, news channels on earth are full of updates from conflicting areas in Africa and recovery efforts after tsunami in Japan. Refugees and displaced people are seeking help for shelters and food. Wars and conflicts are our daily news menu. Peace is a scarce thing in many regions. Unemployment is ample all over the earth. Mining industry are face to face with anti-deforestation efforts. Awareness of good environment of the earth does not belong to all people yet. But..

Earth Day 2011 is Good Friday

"On the the Earth Day, April 22, we pray for greater care and common resposibility for Mother Earth, to make her sustainable as home for all humans and living creatures." (Indonesian Catholic Church's Monthly Intention of Prayer)

April 22 each year is now known to be Earth Day. On that day, we are invited to be aware of the Earth's natural environment and to have a high appreciation of it. The United Nations designated April 22 International Mother Earth Day. More than 175 countries, globally coordinated by the Earth Day Network, celebrates Earth Day. (Source: Wikipedia) [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Catholic Celebration of Good Friday"][/caption] This year, April 22, 2011, is also Good Friday, Friday before Easter Sunday, a holliday, when Christians all over the world commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It is believed that lord died on Good Friday and resurrected on Easter Sunday. Good Friday is called so because Christians believe that Jesus sacrificed his life for humanity and good of everyone. (Source: Good Friday 2011) When the US Senator, Gaylord Nelson, chose Wednesday, April 22, 1970, as the first Earth Day, he determined the week of April 19–25 was the best bet as it did not fall during exams or spring breaks. Moreover, it did not conflict with religious holidays such as Easter or Passover, and was late enough in spring to have decent weather. He chose the date in order to maximize participation on college campuses for what he conceived as an "environmental teach-in" (Source: Wikipedia) [caption id="" align="alignright" width="170" caption="US Senator Garry Nelson"]

[/caption] Since, against Nelson's calculation, Earth Day is coincidentally Good Friday in 2011, we may be intrigued with ideas between the two good days. International Standard Version (©2008) of the Bible wrote: "Truly, I tell all of you with certainty, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces a lot of grain," Jesus said (John 12:24). Jesus' death was prophetically described as "a grain of wheat" which "fell" into the ground (read: earth) and died" in order to live further and "produce a lot of grain". There we may observe the correlation of earth and life. As much as the wheat always grows and produces a lot of grain, Jesus Christ' teachings started to spread all over the world and inspire the life of his followers who grow from then on to billions. We may now just expect that Earth Day 2011 would inspire all nations to take care more of the ground on which they live. We encourage new commitments to save the earth from all kinds of abuse. Economic efforts should pay high attention to earth's environments: the ground and all the living creatures on it; to less polluted earth, water and air; to better advanced technology to enhance life; to energy saving efforts; to peace among nations and less war; to less conflicts to solve all humankind's problems. All people behind the tractors, shovels, mouses, bombers' rudders, nuclear plants, nuclear weapons, energy plants, schools, markets, everywhere.., you are invited to love Mother Earth more since Earth Day 2011 on. Christians, you have the inspiration of life from your Teacher, Jesus Christ, to do more.

Best regards from my beautiful and green village,

Tlogotangi, Indonesia

(Coordinates: 7°19'13"S   110°31'53"E).