We are not owners, but guests

By Antonio Tabosa SJ, Coordinator of the Center for Citizenship and Social Action at the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos – CCIAS/UNISINOS

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me” (Mt 19:14).

If He were speaking today, He might say: “For theirs will be the planet of the future, which depends on our care in the present.”

The words of Jesus continue to echo in our hearts, especially as we see the drawings and messages from children for COP30. With simplicity and truth, they reveal both the beauty of creation and the concern of those who, even at a young age, perceive the profound climate changes that threaten life on Earth.

In one of the drawings, it was written: “We are not the owners of the forest, but its guests”.

This phrase captures an essential truth for us: as God writes the story of humanity, He entrusts to humankind the mission of being the guardian of creation — called to care for, protect, and promote life in all its dimensions.

The awareness shown by children reminds us of the urgency to heal the wounds caused by excessive industrialization, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, the melting of polar ice caps, global warming, and the loss of biodiversity — including human life itself.

Let us therefore pray for a true ecological conversion — one that awakens in us a new mindset, capable of recognizing that we are only guests on this planet.

May every action and every participation of ours bear witness to our commitment to care for life and for the wonderful biodiversity that God has entrusted to us.