While New Jersey grapples with ongoing drought warning status and the aftermath of the devastating Jones Road Wildfire, we are reminded of the deep interconnection between our actions and the health of our planet. Our planet, our common home, is crying out under the weight of our neglect. The land is parched. Forests can grow brittle. With 85% of wildfires caused by human activity, the connection between drought, ecological degradation and preventable destruction becomes alarmingly clear. Water is sacred, water is life, we are water.
For water conservation tips visit NJDEP Conserve Water, NJDEP Drought Information and for wildfire risk and fire related updates, visit NJ Wildfire Risk. These resources are meant to be shared widely-please share them with your networks. Knowledge is power.
The Jones Road Wildfire, ignited by human activity, has consumed over 15,000 acres in the Pine Barrens, threatening homes and wildfire alike. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for a profound shift in our relationship with nature. We call on all of our readers to embody conscience and care in your daily lives. This is not a crisis of climate alone-it is a crisis of spirit. This is the direct result of our failure to live in right relationship with nature-a relationship not founded on domination, but of reverence, restraint and mutual care.
Pope Francis, a luminous, enduring voice for Earth and Spirit, in his urgent 2023 exhortation Laudate Deum, speaks to this moral breach:
“The ethical decadence real power is disguised thanks to marketing and false information, useful tools in the hands of those who have greater resources to employ them... What is important is to realize that there are no lasting changes without cultural changes, without a maturing of lifestyles and convictions within societies.” (LD 70)
It is not enough to react to droughts or suppress fires; we must transform the way we live. We must cultivate a culture that treasures water as sacred, treats land as kin, and views fire not as an enemy, but as a messenger-warning us of the consequences of imbalance. Let us all remember St. Francis’s courage and bring it to our imagination for a livable, just and stable future.
May we ground ourselves in compassion by:
Reducing water use not just as a duty, but as a daily act of love
Educating our neighbors, friends, family about how human choices drive fire risk and drought
Help Waterspirit educate and advocate for policies that protect wetlands, forests and aquifers
Renewing our spiritual connection to sacred Earth, remembering that what we do to Earth, we do to ourselves
We are not helpless-we are capable of righteous change. May we be the generation of humans that listen to both science and spirit, reclaiming our vision of the future where water runs clear, forests breathe safely and every living being is allowed to flourish. Join Waterspirit for upcoming events, take action on our Calls to Action page, become a volunteer and reach out if you wish to connect further! water@waterspirit.org