All nature groans
The storehouses are in ruins (Joel 1:17)
One of the oddities of Joel is that he appears to depict a natural disaster brought on by a plague of locusts, but then, suddenly, it seems to become something much broader: granaries are broken down, fields are burnt. It is as if the locusts have morphed into a human enemy, or that it was always a human invasion and the locusts were simply a vivid picture of their numbers. I have a third possibility though. I wonder if a natural plague quickly becomes something more. When we battle against something as all encompassing as a plague of locusts, or a virulent virus, then much else gets destroyed as well.
It seems clear to many that the lasting result of this infection will not only be a massive cost in human lives but also a major assault on our economic life. Businesses will close, jobs will be lost, people will find themselves bankrupt, even churches may have to shut their doors more permanently. It's worth remembering it's not all negative, of course. In our communities, village shops that once were close to closure are now thriving. And I suspect garden centres willing to deliver are probably doing rather well too. Even the NHS finally has the attention and support it deserves.
For Joel, though, his concern is even wider. The lack of grain in storehouses and grass in fields is affecting the animals, both wild and domesticated. They are milling about in anguish, panting for water. Even the sheep, who can eat the shortest of grass, are struggling.
For the most part, our animals are doing rather well. Dogs are getting a much longer walk, even if it is only one a day. Horses around us have never had it so good. Probably even guinea pigs are receiving attention that they never expected, though we must have sympathy for the night time active pets, who are probably getting too much attention. And farmers are generally having a field day. The fear of a wasted year is largely gone. The fine weather is allowing them to catch up with all the preparation and planting they almost never thought possible during the endless floods of winter. One harvest may be lost, but there's a chance the second will be a bumper.
Some animals are in trouble though. Not just the result of false rumours that animals can carry the disease, but the pets of those who are fully isolating or who can no longer access green spaces in the city, are really suffering. And don't forget, the shelves were not just empty of toilet paper. Nappies and sanitary towels of course, but also dog food and cat litter disappeared.
Understandably, no one in authority is thinking much about the animals, but that's no reason we can't. The effects of such a disaster are surprisingly wide and deep and it is worth considering how we can help now as well as how we can better prepare for the future. For, though I know we all hope this is a one off event, that currently seems unlikely. Human-animal interaction in some parts of the world is such that infections are liable to cross species and spread. If, or when, it next happens, will we be better ready? Or more importantly, can we find a way to treat our animals that will prevent this ever happening again?
So don't forget the animals we rely on so much. If we treat them well, we may find that our lives are not just richer but also much safer in the future.
One of the oddities of Joel is that he appears to depict a natural disaster brought on by a plague of locusts, but then, suddenly, it seems to become something much broader: granaries are broken down, fields are burnt. It is as if the locusts have morphed into a human enemy, or that it was always a human invasion and the locusts were simply a vivid picture of their numbers. I have a third possibility though. I wonder if a natural plague quickly becomes something more. When we battle against something as all encompassing as a plague of locusts, or a virulent virus, then much else gets destroyed as well.
It seems clear to many that the lasting result of this infection will not only be a massive cost in human lives but also a major assault on our economic life. Businesses will close, jobs will be lost, people will find themselves bankrupt, even churches may have to shut their doors more permanently. It's worth remembering it's not all negative, of course. In our communities, village shops that once were close to closure are now thriving. And I suspect garden centres willing to deliver are probably doing rather well too. Even the NHS finally has the attention and support it deserves.
For Joel, though, his concern is even wider. The lack of grain in storehouses and grass in fields is affecting the animals, both wild and domesticated. They are milling about in anguish, panting for water. Even the sheep, who can eat the shortest of grass, are struggling.
For the most part, our animals are doing rather well. Dogs are getting a much longer walk, even if it is only one a day. Horses around us have never had it so good. Probably even guinea pigs are receiving attention that they never expected, though we must have sympathy for the night time active pets, who are probably getting too much attention. And farmers are generally having a field day. The fear of a wasted year is largely gone. The fine weather is allowing them to catch up with all the preparation and planting they almost never thought possible during the endless floods of winter. One harvest may be lost, but there's a chance the second will be a bumper.
Some animals are in trouble though. Not just the result of false rumours that animals can carry the disease, but the pets of those who are fully isolating or who can no longer access green spaces in the city, are really suffering. And don't forget, the shelves were not just empty of toilet paper. Nappies and sanitary towels of course, but also dog food and cat litter disappeared.
Understandably, no one in authority is thinking much about the animals, but that's no reason we can't. The effects of such a disaster are surprisingly wide and deep and it is worth considering how we can help now as well as how we can better prepare for the future. For, though I know we all hope this is a one off event, that currently seems unlikely. Human-animal interaction in some parts of the world is such that infections are liable to cross species and spread. If, or when, it next happens, will we be better ready? Or more importantly, can we find a way to treat our animals that will prevent this ever happening again?
So don't forget the animals we rely on so much. If we treat them well, we may find that our lives are not just richer but also much safer in the future.
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| A litter of kittens, living in the margins at the roadside in Mondello, Sicily |
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