Nature

In our last class meeting we discussed how the psalms are connected to nature.  We made some interesting inferences and conclusions which help us understand some of the ideas expressed in the Book of Psalms.  One of these ideas was how god is a creator.  Nature is referred to as "The work of God's hands."  Whoever wrote the initial version of these psalms could have used the word "nature" but instead used a phrase which seems to make nature seem sacred, and a blessing to have.  Psalm 104 quotes, "All the earth is filled with Your riches." This once again stresses the important and sacred qualities that are believed to be in the world that we live in. There are also moments in the psalms which seem to give humans a sort of responsibility to take care of nature.  We take nature for granted and sometimes don't realize that God does not only give, but is also capable and willing to take away. 

Psalm 104 makes our ties to nature even stronger by quoting, "You withdraw their breath and they perish, and to dust they return.  When you send for Your breath, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth."  This line is a literal translation of the circle of life.  As interpreted by the Catholics, we all began as dust, and then we were created by god, and one day we will return to dust and be one with the earth.

Being a roman catholic, I think that the human connection with nature and the earth is important.  One of the important times of the catholic year is lent, which all begins with ash Wednesday.  On this day we receive ashes on our forehead, not only to begin lent, but to also remember that, metaphorically, we are all dust, one day we will all return to dust and be one with the earth.  That is one example in roman catholic belief, but even if it is not religious, I still believe that we are strongly connected to nature and that many people take it for granted.