In the green hills of Umbria, along the trails of Monte Cucco Park, lies a story of abandonment that speaks to the heart. An ancient chestnut grove, planted centuries ago with devotion by Blessed Giustiniani, a Camaldolese monk, now waits in silence. This place, near the hermitage of St. Jerome in the so-called "valley of prisons," is not merely a forgotten landscape but a symbol of a relationship at risk of fading: that between humanity, faith, and creation. As Christians, we are called to read these signs of the times not with resignation, but as an invitation to rediscover our vocation as stewards.
Pope Francis, of blessed memory, left us a profound legacy in the encyclical Laudato Si', emphasizing how caring for our common home is an evangelical imperative. His successor, His Holiness Pope León XIV, continues to draw attention to integral ecological responsibility, linking environmental protection with social justice. This vision helps us see an abandoned forest not as a simple environmental issue, but as a wound in the fabric of relationships that God has woven.
The Bible reminds us of our origins: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15, NIV). The verb "take care of" carries a meaning of loving responsibility, of active protection. The Umbrian chestnut grove, like many other places of beauty and history, questions us: How are we cultivating and caring for the gifts we have received today?
Rooted in Faith: Work as an Act of Worship
The figure of Blessed Giustiniani offers us a shining example. For the Camaldolese monks, manual labor, especially in agricultural and forestry contexts, was never separated from the life of prayer. Planting a tree was an act of hope, a collaboration with God in extending the work of creation. That chestnut grove was not a mere plantation to be exploited, but a living work of art, a tangible sign of a faith that becomes incarnate in daily life and thinks of future generations.
This spirituality of work challenges us to overcome a purely utilitarian view of the world. The apostle Paul exhorts: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" (Colossians 3:23, NIV). Applied to our relationship with the environment, this means seeing every action we take – from tending a garden to making consumption choices – as an action done "for the Lord," with respect and gratitude.
The abandonment we witness, therefore, can be read as a symptom of a deeper disorientation. When we lose sight of the sacred dimension of stewardship, creation becomes a neutral background or, worse, a resource to be exhausted. The chestnut grove, with its majestic patience, reminds us of a different time, a more human rhythm, and a deeper connection with the earth that sustains us.
Freedom and Responsibility: Beyond Polarizations
Public discourse often oversimplifies, creating sterile oppositions. It is important, as an ecumenical community of EncuentraIglesias.com, to avoid accusatory or ideological tones. This reflection is not against something or someone, but in favor of a rediscovery. The real danger is not an abstract ideology, but practical indifference, the fragmentation that leads us to see ourselves as separate from nature and from the generations to come.
Christian freedom is always linked to responsibility. "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love" (Galatians 5:13, NIV). Serving one another also includes serving the creation God has entrusted to all of us, and serving our children and grandchildren by leaving them an undepleted heritage.
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