Father, I praise you, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to little ones.
A close look at the world environment movement reveals to us, the children and the young are the kingpin behind the movement. They are getting mobilized all over the world. They are demanding a change in environmental protection laws. They are asking governments and all those responsible to act immediately. The movement has begun from schools and homes and now it has reached on the streets and at the gates of parliaments. It has galvanized millions of children and youth to participate in protests and rallies. We sense the whole world has come together to protect the mother planet. The dark truth has come to the fore before the world that the next decade will decide our destiny. If we fail to be more responsible towards our environment, then we are bound to face the danger for life and livelihood.
This truth is understood by young children but it is sad that adults have failed to grasp it. The words of Jesus yet again have proved true. Jesus says, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to little ones.” (Mt. 11:25) The scribes and Pharisees were not able to grasp the revelation of God; they were not able to see Jesus as the anointed one who came down to save the world. The little children understood it. They understood the salvific work of Jesus. They recognised Jesus in truth.
We find a reference in the later chapters of the same Gospel of Matthew. Jesus went to the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple. He healed the blind and the lame. The children who were there in the temple began to shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David”. The scribes and the Pharisees were angry with the children. Jesus silenced them by quoting the psalms (Mt. 21:16). It says, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger (Psalm 8:2).
We have so many young children fighting to save the environment. They are more than two dozen all over the world. I wish to name few of them: Xiye Bastida – USA, Kallon Banson – USA, John Paul Jose – India, Louisa Neubauer – Germany, Holly Gillibrand – Scotland, Eyal Weintraub – Argentina, Licypriya Kangujam – India and Greta Thunberg – Sweden. All these young activists have understood the importance of the environment in man’s life. They have grasped the signs of the time. They are singing hosannas to God for the beautiful creation. They see the beauty is getting destroyed before their eyes. Hence, their prophetic warning is calling out to repair the damage. Their speeches have silenced the world leaders who are fighting with each other to prove that they are better than others.
One of the firebrand young environmentalists is Greta Thunberg who has influenced many other young environmental activists. She had some powerful messages in the recent past to the world leaders. She said in the World Climate Summit in Poland on 4th December 2018, “Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility, which they should have taken long ago.” Yet another occasion, she condemned the world leaders at the UN summit in New York. She said, “This is all wrong. I should not be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.” Greta Thunberg was criticized and humiliated by many world leaders for her mental health, her world view and her looks. But she is determined to fight for the cause.
There is yet another young activist in India named Licypriya Kangujam. She was born in Manipur on 2nd October 2011. At the age of 7, she started raising her voice against environmental issues. She was inspired by Greta Thunberg. She has been drawing the attention of the Government of India to pass a climate change law in India. She has addressed many international conferences on climate changes. She was awarded the World Children’s Peace prize (2019), India Peace prize (2019), Rising Star of Earth Day Network (2019), Noble Citizen Award (2020). She was featured in the news when she turned down the offer of Prime Minister of India. He had decided to give her his social media handles under the campaign of #SheInspiresUs. He had selected her as one of the inspiring women in India. She wrote on her twitter handle, “Please do not celebrate me if you are not going to listen to my voice.”
Greta Thunberg, Licypriya Kangujam and several other young children in the world are demanding immediate actions. They are asking us to stop debating on climate issues and act as if the house is on fire. Their call to save the climate is a prophetic call. It is similar to that of Jesus in the Bible. He too was calling the people to repent and believe in the Gospel for the kingdom of God is at hand. The wise and the learned refused to pay attention to him. They made fun of him and humiliated him. They did not accept his message but the little children did.
The children in the temple saw Jesus healing many blind and sick people. They praised Jesus, “Hosanna to the Son of David”. They had an innocent mind to recognise Jesus, whereas the scribes and the Pharisees remained in their age-old reasoning. As adults, we need to unlearn our habits and thinking. The children had an attitude of learning. They did not compare Jesus with anyone else. The scribes and the Pharisees were busy in comparing and finding flaws in Jesus. The children took immediate steps to glorify Jesus. It was an immediate action. They did not waste time in discussing Jesus as the learned did. Lastly, they connected with each other in an act of praise. There was no indifferentism, selfishness, etc. among them. They joined together in praising the Lord.
My readings of the young activists’ movement, from over the world reveal to me: the children are chosen to bring change in the world. There is no difference between the children whom Jesus praised in the Gospel and the young environmental activists in today’s society. They have a similar nature. They are innocent. They have the ability to simplify the issues. They have an attitude of learning without any reservation. They take immediate actions. They connect with people from different parts of the world. Pope Francis also feels that children have so much to offer to us. He told while attending the party with children in 2019, “the children are the expression of innocence, promise and many good things”.
Let us pay attention to our young children who are asking us to change our approach towards our own mother planet. Let us not be complacent with our shallow efforts in safeguarding our mother planet. Let every action and word prove that we are working together to save Mother Earth.
