The Parish Priest of the World
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“The Earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.” —Pope Francis, Laudato Si’
It feels fitting, doesn’t it, that Pope Francis left this world in the days between Easter and Earth Day?
Between the remembrance of resurrection and the care of the Earth, he made his final pilgrimage—quietly, humbly, as he so often lived. These two days capture so much of who he was: a shepherd of hope, and a prophet of ecological justice.
We are grieving a great man. Pope Francis wasn’t perfect, nor was the institution he led, but he offered something rare and holy in this age: moral clarity paired with tender humanity.
In his first acts as pope, he chose to live not in the opulence of the papal apartments, but in a modest guesthouse. He washed the feet of incarcerated people. He spoke of creation not as a possession to be used, but as kin to be honored.
He was the first pope to ever dedicate an encyclical to the environment. Laudato Si’, subtitled On Care for Our Common Home, changed the landscape of moral discourse on climate change.1 In it, he wrote:
“We are not God. The Earth was here before us and it has been given to us… This responsibility for God’s Earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world.”
He called the climate crisis what it is: a spiritual crisis. An ethical one. He spoke plainly about capitalism’s excesses, about the exploitation of the poor, and about the sacredness of all life—especially the life our systems are quickest to discard.
Pope Francis was deeply loved not just by Catholics, but by many across faiths and no faith at all. Rabbi Arthur Green once said of him: “He has become a teacher for us all. His words cross borders, as all true prophetic voices must.”2
And environmentalist Bill McKibben wrote: “Pope Francis has been the single most influential person to ever speak about the climate crisis. And the most moving. He gave moral weight to what had been too long framed as a scientific or political debate.”3
This is the man we remember today.
We remember his courage.
We remember his compassion.
We remember his deep, reverent love for the Earth and her people.
And now, in his memory, we take up his call.
This Earth Day, we do not look away. We do not forget the poor. We do not abandon our role as caregivers to this spinning, sacred home. We resist despair and we resist apathy. We root ourselves in the soil of responsibility and faith, in love that is alive and active.
Resurrection is not an escape from Earth. It is a returning to her. A rising within her. And Pope Francis knew that well.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
What part of Pope Francis’ life or message has stayed with you the most?
Where do you feel the tension between despair and hope for the Earth?
What is one small way you can embody care for the Earth this week—in honor of Pope Francis, and for future generations?
A Prayer for the Day
For Our Common Home
Divine Spirit who breathes through trees and tides,
We give thanks for this Earth, our sacred dwelling.
We mourn the harm we have caused—through indifference, through haste, through disconnection.
And we remember those who have shown us another way:
Prophets who walked gently, leaders who spoke boldly,
and saints who saw Your face in wind and water.
Today, we honor the memory of Pope Francis,
who called us to hear the cries of the poor and the cries of the Earth as one cry.
May we carry his courage forward.
May we live as if the planet matters.
May we love as if our future depends on it.
Because it does.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
A Walk of Remembering
Today, take a walk outside—not to exercise, but to listen. Let the Earth be your sanctuary. Notice what is blooming. Pay attention to what is struggling. Touch the soil if you can. Breathe with the trees.
As you walk, carry this question: What am I being invited to protect?
Whether your path is urban or wild, let this walk remind you that you belong here. That the Earth is not “out there,” but in you—in your breath, your body, your bones.
When you return, commit to one act of ecological care this week. Something tangible. Something small. Composting. Calling a legislator. Supporting a local farm. Let it be a gesture of love, not fear.
Then rest in this truth: You are not alone. You are part of the growing, greening resistance. You are part of the Earth loving herself to life.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
May 19-22, 2025 - Preaching and Worship FREE Online Summit: From war to genocide to a global climate crisis to a nation that perpetuates racism, misogyny, transphobia, and more from the highest office in the land, how do we prepare a sermon, a liturgy, a song, a prayer? Learn from some of our best preachers. REGISTER HERE.
June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate “good soil” in our lives, our communities, and our spiritual practices. I hope you will register. Your registration includes a copy of his new book.
July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more. Only one spot left!
August 11, 2025, 2pm ET - Dr. Andrew Root and I will be hosting a 6 part series on Spirituality in the Secular Age based on his research. The dates are August 11, 18, September 8, 15, and October 6, 13. Mark your calendars! More on this soon.
September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.
October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
https://sojo.net/articles/pope-francis-climate-change-encyclical-inspires-rabbinic-call-action
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/21042025/pope-francis-fought-for-the-poor-and-the-planet/#:~:text=In%20a%20statement%2C%20the%20climate,human%20dignity%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.
Thank you! Will do the spiritual practice, not only today in memory of Francis, pope of the poor. Am so grateful for your meditations.
Beautiful- thank you