Divine Love and Nature’s Testament
The Church truly calls us to love God, for He is the Creator of all, and it is through our love for Him that we come to an understanding of the complete creative harmony of the world. In this understanding, nature does not become an independent object of worship or of excessive concern, but rather it serves as a testimony to God's wisdom and goodness, proclaiming the greatness of His creative power.Thus, one of the sources notes:"In the universe, both as a whole and in its details, there exists its own direction, coherence, and purpose. It is full of reason. We must openly acknowledge that it does not require human care. Moreover, our activities often amount merely to violations of its rights; across vast expanses of the Earth, where once thriving vegetation flourished, now lie dead spaces or soulless constructions. Nevertheless, the grandeur of God's creative hand, as manifested in nature, is by no means diminished. 'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.' Therefore, our mentors, fathers, and teachers of the Church—from times long past and those closer to us—frequently direct our attention to nature, the preacher of God's power, goodness, and majesty." (source: link txt)It follows from this that nature by itself does not require human care, for it is a revelation of God, a manifestation of His greatness. Love for the Creator implies respect and reverence for all that He has made, without giving nature excessive attention apart from love for Him.In addition, another source states:"In our time, it is very important to return to a Christ-like attitude toward nature, to its beauty, and to its intrinsic value—not solely in relation to us. When we gaze upon it, it is important to think not of what benefit it may provide us or what dangers it might conceal. We can view nature as something called into being by God not only to showcase perfect beauty, but also so that, in due course, having been liberated from the burden of sin that man has imposed upon it, it might become part of the Divine Kingdom..." (source: link txt)This perspective emphasizes that nature has its place in God's plan, yet the main focus is on humanity’s return to communion with God, which implies recognizing nature as part of that divine design. In this context, care for nature is not an end in itself, but rather an expression of a deeper, primordial love for the Creator.Thus, the emphasis on loving God is due to the fact that it is through communion with Him that we discover the true understanding of both the world around us and our relationship to nature, which remains a magnificent testimony of His creative power.