Pondering…

“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image;
in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth.”

Jesus came to save humans, not animals. Man was created in the IMAGE of God. Thereby establishing that man has a soul and that soul is an eternal being as the Holy Trinity is eternal. By saving man from his sins, man would in fact be “stewards” once more in Love to all creation through placing love for God above all else. If man who has been given dominion over all creatures deducts that he is no better than animals without souls, he will live like an animal as he equates himself to a dog, ape or cat or any other creature, which do not possess intellect, he is excusing himself from the RESPONSIBILITY of being steward to all creation. Man is excluding himself from the responsibility to nurture and be held responsible for his actions which does NOT mean justification for his actions and lack there of and taking on the lesser form of creation. Therefore, not caring for the sick, the young, the unborn but equating Human Life to that of survival of the fittest through selfish ambition and seeing abortion and euthanasia for humans as a necessity as any pet kept, rather than as dreadfully sinful. He is in fact stating, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”, asserting no love for anything other than self. He proves that his love for animals or any created thing is out of selfishness, or disordered love, and is much greater than that for his own brothers and sisters and even himself. Its worshiping creation over that of the Creator which in fact is idolatry.

From USCCB:

Obstacles to Stewardship
People who want to live as Christian disciples and Christian stewards face serious obstacles. In the United States and other nations, a dominant secular culture often contradicts religious convictions about the meaning of life. This culture frequently encourages us to focus on ourselves and our pleasures.

At times, we can find it far too easy to ignore spiritual realities and to deny religion a role in shaping human and social values. As Catholics who have entered into the mainstream of American society and experienced its advantages, many of us also have been adversely influenced by this secular culture. We know what it is to struggle against selfishness and greed, and we realize that it is harder for many today to accept the challenge of being a Christian steward. It is essential, therefore, that we make a special effort to understand the true meaning of stewardship and live accordingly.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to us as we are, human. He did not come to us as a goldfish nor a cat or dog.

If you seek to save ________________ (fill in the blank) you have to save souls first.

Philippians 2 1:11

Plea for Unity and Humility.
1
If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy,
2
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.
3
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
4
each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others.
5
Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
6
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
7
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
8
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
9
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
10
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.