Friday, August 7, 2026From the news

A Haven for Elephants: God's Gentle Provision in Creation

Amid human-elephant conflicts in Sri Lanka, the Hurulu Eco Park reminds us of God's wise care for all creatures and our call to foster harmony in His creation.

How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, which teems with things innumerable, living things both small and great. These all look to you to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. (RSV-CE)

Psalm 104:24-25, 27-28

When the Lord created his works from the beginning, and in making them, he assigned their tasks. He arranged his works in an eternal order, for his dominion endures from generation to generation. (NABRE)

Sirach 16:26-27

God looked at everything he had made, and he found it was very good. Evening came, and morning followed—the sixth day. (NABRE)

Genesis 1:31

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we gather in prayer today, let us turn our hearts to a gentle story from central Sri Lanka. In the Hurulu Eco Park, elephants roam freely, grazing on vast lands set aside just for them. This haven comes at a poignant time, when growing human needs—intensive agriculture pushing into wild spaces—have sparked painful conflicts between these majestic creatures and the people who depend on the land. Farmers face crop losses, elephants wander into danger, and both suffer in the tension. It's a sorrowful reminder of our fractured relationship with the earth God entrusted to us.

Yet, even here, there is consolation. The park stands as a quiet witness to possibility, a place where elephants can thrive unimpeded, safe from harm. In this, we glimpse God's original design, echoed in the words of Psalm 104: 'How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures... These all look to you to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.' Our loving Father sees every creature, from the mightiest elephant to the smallest bird, and provides with tender care. He who opens His hand fills them—and us—with good things, even amid our struggles.

From the very beginning, as we hear in Genesis, 'God looked at everything he had made, and he found it was very good.' Creation was not an afterthought but a symphony of harmony, where humans and animals shared the garden in peace. Sirach reminds us further: 'When the Lord created his works from the beginning... He arranged his works in an eternal order, for his dominion endures from generation to generation.' God's wisdom orders all things beautifully, calling us to reverence that order.

In our Catholic tradition, this truth resonates deeply. Think of St. Francis of Assisi, who saw in every creature a brother or sister, praising God through the sun, moon, wind, and yes, even the beasts of the field. His Canticle of the Creatures invites us to join in that song. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si', echoes this, urging us to hear 'both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.' The farmers in Sri Lanka, often among the vulnerable, bear real hardships from these encounters—lost livelihoods, fear for their families. The elephants, too, driven by hunger, embody the groaning of creation we read about in Romans. Yet the Church teaches us stewardship, not domination: to till and keep the garden, fostering solidarity with all God's children and creatures.

Take heart, my friends. The Hurulu Eco Park is no mere accident; it's a sign of hope, where human ingenuity partners with divine providence to restore balance. It whispers that mercy extends beyond people to the whole of creation, dignified by the Creator's hand. In the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive the One who renews all things, offering us strength for this mission. Let us remember Mary's fiat, her trusting 'yes' to God's plan, and entrust these efforts to her care.

God is near, especially in the quiet spaces where peace is being rebuilt. The elephants grazing freely remind us: His hand is open, His wisdom unfolds. Rest in that today, knowing the Resurrection promises not just our healing, but the liberation of every creature.