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The Columbia
Flowing Waters of Life: A Gift and Treasure
Bishop William S. Skylstad
Tobin Lecture 1998
St. Francis of Assisi in his "Canticle of the Sun" speaks of creation which surrounds us: "Praise be my Lord, of the air, of the winds, of the clear sky, and of the cloudy, praised of all seasons...praised be my Lord by our sister the water...humble and chaste in its clearness." Samuel Torvend in a recent article entitled "Our Sister Water" reminds us of how important water is in our life: "We are children of the waters. Taste the tears that fall from your eyes and you will detect traces of salt, a simple reminder that, in the graced process of evolution our life began in the seas. ...While we rightly marvel at the astonishing diversity that marks the racial and physiological makeup of the human race, each of us is a water child. ...Our planet is enveloped by a permeable yet fragile cloud of moisture that sustains life and renews those who dwell on this earthly home regardless of age or gender, race or national boundaries. Watch the dry brown earth in a garden or field turn a rich and burdened black, and you see the merciful nature of the waters. They flow and descend to give life."
Yes, waters flow and give life. How blessed we are here in the Northwest to have the mighty Columbia River and its tributaries. One of the great blessings of my own life is to have grown up on the river, not directly on the Columbia but 15 miles from it on one of its tributaries, the Methow. As a child and a youth, I remember the constant roaring of the rapidly flowing river as the waters made their way to the sea.
For us as a family on the river, the water was used not only for drinking but provided irrigation for an apple orchard and an alfalfa field. The river in those days contained a bountiful supply of many varieties of fish. In the summer and early fall, the salmon swam upstream to their spawning grounds, to exactly the same gravel bar from which they were hatched. We would climb on the high bank or on a bridge to catch a sight of "the big one," marveling that four years before they would have headed out to sea as fingerlings and return sometimes a 30 or 40 pound fish. The river provided fun for swimming and refreshment: even on the hottest summer days one could remain in the water only for so long before teeth began to chatter. The fast-flowing waters provided excellent opportunities for rafting and floating in large eddies which would always bring you back to the starting point.
There is something soothing about the roaring of water over rocks and boulders. Not many have the privilege and honor of going to sleep at night listening to the foaming waters as they flowed downstream.
Like the change of liturgical seasons, the river, too, went through its cycle of life. The winter with its transformation of the surface of the water into myriad forms of beauty and grace gave way to the spring run-off and the swollen, murky river. That swollen river in 1948 turned into one of destruction as roads, homes, and bridges were washed away. Then came the summer with its crystal clear waters and a place to fish and enjoy. The low waters of the fall spoke of lowering snowpacks and receding glaciers which needed to be replenished by the winter snows and rains.
Finally, as a young boy, I remember looking at the river and wondering where that water was going, where it would end up. There was a quality about its connectedness that I recognized even then. I asked my mother for a bottle with a cork, placed a note in the bottle giving my name and the time I released it and then hoped for the best. I suppose I was realistic about ever receiving a reply, but honestly I did dream that it would be wonderful to receive a note from some person on a distant shore who would make the find. In later years as I drove through the Columbia Gorge, I reflected upon some of that water being from the Methow and some of the fish which were spawned in that river were no doubt passing by on their way to the sea. As we reflect on this sense of connectedness of the river, we are filled with a sense of awe and appreciation of this wonderful gift and treasure in our midst, the flowing waters of life.
The Columbia River is the major river of western North America beginning in southeastern British Columbia. The Columbia is approximately 1,245 miles long. The river flows through spectacular canyons and deep valleys. About one-third of its course is in Canada. The Columbia and its tributaries drain a vast basin of approximately 260,000 square miles. Large ocean-going vessels can navigate the lower Columbia River as far as Portland/Vancouver, and smaller marine vessels can reach The Dalles, 186 miles upstream. Barges and other shallow draft boats can navigate a further 137 miles to Lewiston/Clarkston.
The Columbia River has tremendous hydroelectric potential with the pools behind the dams becoming almost a continuous lake. The Columbia Basin project, a part of the Grand Coulee Dam operation, irrigates 1.2 million acres of semi-arid land. Irrigation projects along the Columbia and its tributaries have truly helped make the desert blossom forth, imagery we hear in the Prophet Isaiah. The Columbia received its name from the American explorer, Robert Gray, who explored the mouth of the river in 1792 and named it after his ship. The Lewis and Clark expedition explored the lower Columbia in 1805 and 1806; and David Thompson, a Canadian surveyor and explorer, followed the river from its source to its mouth in 1811. The river once had great numbers of salmon and supported a large canning industry. The fish stock have now been severely depleted, and there is an attempt to restore the salmon runs.
The river generates electricity and is a water highway for barge traffic. The Columbia with its tributaries provides a vast habitat for wildlife of all kinds. The complexity of the river system includes the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, numerous smelters, and other commercial operations which have in recent times raised considerable environmental concern about the safety of their operations and the safe-guarding of the cleanliness of the river. The vast drainage system of the river is impacted by how we use our forests, our farmlands, and our hydroelectric system.
This drainage system also provides a connectedness amongst peoples and cultures. Our Native American brothers and sisters lived on the bank of the river tens of thousands of years before the white man came and were able to provide a sustainability of the gift of the river down through the millennia. With increased population, economic development, and the vying for valuable and limited resources, the moment has never been more opportune to share and reflect upon this marvelous gift in our midst, what it means for us as God's people, and how we can be responsible stewards as we look to the future.
From a physical standpoint, there is something wonderfully mysterious and yet certainly very real as we look to a cyclic pattern of water replenishing the earth. The snows and the rains fall on our land. They eventually become our rivers which flow to the sea. The water evaporates from the sea to form clouds which in turn drop their moisture content onto the land, and the cycle begins all over again. This pattern has continued for millennia and continues to be a source of life, enjoyment, and inspiration to us all. In this part of the world, most of our electricity comes from the flowing water in the river. One has to be without electricity just for a day or so to appreciate how important this source of energy has been in our lives and how pervasively we use it. The river profoundly touches our lives with its energy.
The connectedness of the water takes us from the beautiful cloud formation to the snow and glaciers in our higher mountains, to the flowing of water through countless creeks and mountain streams, through the beautiful Canadian valleys, from waters which pass through Hells Canyon and the river valleys of Montana, through the semi-arid regions of central Washington and Oregon, through the beautiful but ever changing Columbia River Gorge, and finally to the mouth of the Columbia where it spills into the sea. This rich complexity speaks of interconnectedness, beauty, and especially the opportunity to join and relate as peoples who benefit from and are connected to the river.
In recent years we have come to appreciate the interconnectedness of the universe in which we live with galaxies and stars interrelating with one another through gravitational attraction and dynamic interaction. That mystery of God's creation continues to unfold. The Columbia River system with its complexity also is dynamically interrelated. Especially as God's people we need to appreciate its relevance to us as God's gift and the dynamic symbol of flowing waters which literally give life and breath to our land.
The image of the water, especially of flowing water, is powerful in our Judeo-Christian tradition. From the Prophet Ezekiel (47) we hear, "Again he measured off a thousand and made me wade; the water was up to my waist. Once more he measured off a thousand, but there was now a river through which I could not wade; for the river had risen so high it had become a river that could not be crossed except by swimming. He asked me, 'Have you seen this, son of man?' Then he brought me to the bank of the river where he had me sit. Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides. He said to me, 'This water flows into the eastern district down from the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow, their leaves shall not fade nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food and their leaves for medicine.'" In this mystical vision, Ezekiel sees a water flowing from the threshold of the new temple. There is power and greatness to this flow. Isaiah (8) spoke an encouraging message of hope for people in exile, "The Lord will guide you and satisfy your needs in parched places, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail." Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 and reflects upon the imagery of Ezekiel as water flowed from the temple. Jesus speaks of the water flowing from himself when he told her: "If you knew the gift of God...you would have asked him and he would have given you living water...the water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." That symbol of flowing water continues in John's description of the passion and death of Jesus as he talks about the water flowing from Jesus' side on the cross: "One of the soldiers thrust a lance into his side and immediately blood and water flowed out."
There is something energizing and transforming about this imagery of flowing water. Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan as flowing waters are poured over his body. The waters of baptism have also flowed over us that we might have new life and be profoundly connected with the Lord and with one another in the Body of Christ. Many of our churches now have baptismal pools with water flowing in them so that the sight and sound of the flowing, gurgling water reminds us of the power and majesty of God's life-giving grace to us. This ongoing belief and hope is well expressed from a fifth century baptistry inscription from St. John Lattern: "The brood here to live in heaven has life from water and the fortifying spirit....the stream that flows below sprang from the wounded Christ to wash the whole world clean and give it life. Children of the water think no more of earth; heaven will give you joy; in heaven hope. Think not your sins too many or too great; birth in this stream is birth to holiness." (A. Hammon Early Christian Prayers [Longmans, Green and Company, 1961])
We are sprinkled with water as it touches us in the renewal of baptismal promises, and we sign ourselves with water reminding us of life-giving water, spiritually and physically. Romano Guardini wrote: "With this elemental element that yields no answer to our questioning, with this transparent, frictionless, fecund fluid, this symbol and means of the supernatural life of grace, we make on ourselves, from forehead to breast, from shoulder to shoulder, the sign of the cross. (Sacred Signs, [St. Louis: Pio Decimo Press, 1956], 46.)
Like the waters which fall upon our land and make the river, so too will the life-giving waters of Jesus' life give us life and remind us of our connectedness to his body. Like the many little streams and tributaries big and small that flow into the great river, so our coming together in the Body of Christ can give far greater witness and effectiveness of living the Gospel and proclaiming the Kingdom of God than any one of us can do alone. Single drops of water coming together, forming a river, should profoundly remind us of the opportunity we have to live our unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.
The river flows and empties itself into the sea. We, too, must empty ourselves for the sake of Jesus and one another that truly we might become instruments of God's saving presence in our midst.
We look to the gifts of God which at first glance might appear quite simple and something which we can take for granted. Yet, the gift of water all about us especially in the flowing river can be such a powerful symbol of God's dynamic presence in our lives. The Columbia River and the constant sign of the flowing water throughout our Pacific Northwest can remind us of who we are in relationship to God, of the reverence we need to have for the gift, and of the responsible use we make of this life-giving treasure.
Yet, there are disturbing signals coming from the river. Salmon runs have been depleted. Increased pollution is evident. Environmental damage has occurred which will take generations if not millennia to repair and to heal. The Church in recent years has taken very seriously the responsibility for the land on which we live.
Pope John Paul II in his World Day of Peace message in 1990 stressed our responsibility for the environment and its relationship to peace. In 1991, the U.S. Catholic bishops in a pastoral letter entitled Renewing the Earth; An Invitation to Reflection and Action on the Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching spoke on the religious and moral dimensions of the environment in which we live. In their reflection on the environment, they mentioned seven themes which are integral to our responsibility for the land on which we live. These themes refer eminently well to our stewardship and responsibility for the Columbia River. Allow me to mention each of these themes with a brief reflection:
1. A God-centered and sacramental view of the universe, which grounds human accountability for the fate of each. This theme reminds us always of how centered our lives must be on God and how we must avoid being distracted by greed, selfishness, or short-sightedness. In a world where we have so much, we need to be insightful and wise in reading the signs all about us including the flowing river. The sacramental view of the universe speaks to us of the power of God's creation that is so vast and mysterious we can't quite comprehend it all. But there is also something about the flowing water that is fascinating and mysterious as well. Just a few weeks ago, I stood with my cousin from Norway as we looked to the Spokane Falls early one evening from the Monroe Street Bridge. The waters thundered down over the rocks to the stream below. His comment to me was that there is something energizing about looking at such a sight – one just doesn't want to leave. Such a reverence for the presence of God in our created world demands from all of us respect, accountability, and stewardship.
2. A consistent respect for human life which extends to respect for all creation. Because of a lack of appreciation or reflection on the implication of gifts, we can tend to take them for granted or even abuse them. Reverence for human life from the moment of conception to death has become a hallmark of the Catholic Church. Reverence for God's creation in our world must also be part of our mission of serving the Lord and one another.
3. A world view affirming the ethical significance of global interdependence and the common good. The Columbia River wonderfully pulls together two nations – Canada and the United States. Waters flow from these countries and through several states to blend into this great river which connects us and reminds us that any use of the river impacts a much larger community than just our immediate surrounding. Salmon from the river are caught by other nations on the open seas, and the cleanliness of the river is impacted by industry, farming, and how we as individuals use the river. A clean river makes for a clean sea.
4. An ethics of solidarity promoting cooperation and a just structure of sharing in the world community. The gift of the river is for all, and no one person or group should feel that they have absolute right to the river. Obvious tensions have arisen surrounding the potential use of the river. Thus we find complex relationships which involve the use of the river for energy, for salmon production, for sports fishing, for irrigation, for cultural traditions, for river transportation and commerce, to mention just a few. In the pastoral letter the bishops speak about a just structure of sharing.
5. An understanding of the universal purpose of created things, which requires equitable use of the earth's resources. It is easy for us to be protective of this gift, thinking only of ourselves in this beautiful part of God's creation. Created things are meant for all of God's people. We need to use them prudently, without a spirit of hoarding or selfishness. What does this say about us in the Northwest who experience the cheapest rates for electrical energy in our country?
6. An option for the poor, which gives passion to the quest for an equitable and sustainable world. The history in the Columbia River Basin has not been particularly a happy or inspirational one given the nature of conquests and a lack of respect for the diversity of cultures and peoples of the land. Efforts at national security although well intentioned at the time have left us a legacy now that we question and significantly doubt as the best use of the resources of the region. People and cultures need to be respected and protected. Sustainability should be uppermost in our minds as good stewards.
7. A conception of authentic development which offers a direction for progress that respects human dignity and the limits of material growth. The river significantly impacts the economic life of our region. Much development and growth have occurred in recent decades. This theme of the pastoral letter leaves much room for continued discussion, searching, discovery, and discernment. Respectful dialogue, and justice should be motivating factors in this interaction.
We are mindful that the earth and the river are the Lord's. We respect and appreciate God as Creator in our role as co-creator. This authentic development of the river calls us to be mindful of the ethical dimensions of the decisions we make, the inter-linkage between the environment of the river and development, the vision of sustainability and just use of the river, the religious dimension of the river, the relationships involved, and how we as Church can contribute to the discussion of stewardship and responsibility. The significant question we must ask ourselves is how do we live in harmony with God's creation? In using the analogy of harmony, do we play a symphony, or do we play a discordant cacophony that gives only the image of rugged individualism and lack of connection?
Keeping in mind these seven themes from the U. S. Bishops' pastoral letter, we as Church in a special way have the opportunity to convene, to reflect, and to support the common good. That effort and mission of the Church can be a distinctive and constructive voice in appreciating the beauty and complexity of the Columbia River. Justice and the river demand fidelity to relationships. We as Church should call for this sense of justice. We have a glorious tradition of saints like Saint Benedict, Saint Hildegard, and Saint Francis of Assisi who had a deep respect and reverence for creation. Our work together as Church can be a community effort to promote justice in our land and reverence for God's creation. Thus we can contribute to the holiness of our times.
This brings me to the final part of my reflection this morning – the Columbia River Pastoral Letter Project. As far as I know, this is a unique effort of pastorally reflecting on a river. The Church has made general statements about the environment. There have been pastoral letters of bishops from a region concerning the land, such as a pastoral letter some years ago from the bishops of Appalachia and the Archbishop of Denver. This letter specifically will address the Columbia River and its tributary systems. All of the dioceses in the Columbia River drainage are participating. These include the Archdioceses of Portland and Seattle, the Dioceses of Baker, Boise, Helena, Spokane, Yakima, and in Canada, the Diocese of Nelson. In addition, the University of Portland, Seattle and Gonzaga Universities, St. Martin's, Heritage, and Carroll Colleges are involved.
A steering committee, consisting of representatives from each of the participating dioceses, is giving an overall sense of direction to the efforts of bringing the pastoral letter to completion. Ultimately, the Catholic bishops of the participating dioceses will issue the letter and will bear final responsibility for its content. Along with the development of a pastoral letter, it is hoped that there will be accompanying educational aids such as materials for implementation of the pastoral, a video, and even possibly a picture book, National Geographic style. The goal of the project is to apply Catholic social teaching on environmental and economic justice to the complex economic, environmental, and social realities surrounding the Columbia River. During the process of developing the pastoral letter and the related educational materials, five goals are envisioned:
1. To invite the Catholic community and all people in the Northwest to reflect more deeply on our common spirituality as we explore how this magnificent river connects us in history and at the present moment. We hope that our reflection will help people to appreciate the spiritual symbol of the river and flowing water.
2. Our work of the pastoral letter will attempt to sensitize everyone to the key ethical dimensions arising from an application of Catholic social teaching to the environment and economic crisis affecting the Columbia River system and the peoples dependent on it for their livelihood. We have a rich treasure in the Catholic social justice teaching of the Church ranging from Papal statements and encyclicals to national pastoral letters of the bishops of the United States to common experiences of our Catholic people at the grassroots level. We are in a unique and responsible position to speak about the stewardship of the river and help people reflect insightfully upon this gift.
3. As a Church, we can reflect upon a concern we all need to have for women and men whose lives are directly impacted by the Columbia River economy, related ecological problems, and by trade-offs between environmental sustainability and certain approaches to economic development. A strong foundation for our Catholic social justice teaching is the reverence and respect for the human person as well as stewardship of our lives and the world in which we live.
4. We hope that this pastoral letter project will facilitate a broader conversation on the potential contribution of the Catholic Church in this region to common action that will help sustain, renew the river, and deepen our commitment to the common good. As a Church, we support the common good for everyone. Already I have heard several comments from those who are not members of our faith community who have expressed genuine gratitude for our addressing this topic and taking a leadership role in this pastoral and spiritual reflection. There seems to be genuine appreciation of our raising the issues of stewardship, the ethical dimensions of the decisions we make now and into the future, and the spiritual symbol of the river itself.
5. The pastoral letter can promote a vision of a just and sustainable way for the people of the region to relate to the river and its watershed. I stress the word "vision." Environmental damage along the river has already occurred, and the vision to address this reality responsibly and in a sustained manner is vitally important. Although we address short-term problems, with our ethical vision we need to be mindful of the search for long-term solutions. Even the issue of who "owns" the water will provide ample opportunity for respectful dialogue and decisions to be made which are ethical and respect the common good.
The project will be conducted in three phases, to be completed hopefully by the summer of the year 2000. At the present time we are in the first phase of reading the signs of the times and of the river. This first phase will conclude by the fall of this year, 1998. The steering committee is attempting to read the signs of the times from a wide variety of people who are interested in the river and its future. Already three readings of these signs have taken place – the first here in the city of Portland at Portland University, the second at Seattle University in Seattle, and the third in Richland near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The fourth reading of the signs of the times will be held in Toppenish in the middle of the Yakima valley, and the fifth will be a reading of the signs from interested people in the Diocese of Nelson, British Columbia.
I already have found these meetings most helpful and productive. We have listened to a wide variety of people interested in the river, ranging from persons representing the Native American communities, industry, economic interests, theologians, scientists, and environmentalists. Our attempt is to consult with as many people as possible in various walks of life who are related to the river and its watershed. Our last reading in Richland involved a morning tour of the Hanford nuclear facility, a visit to the seven nuclear reactors, a viewing of the Hanford reach, a visit to the storage tank farm on the nuclear reservation where millions of gallons of radioactive waste materials are stored, an explanation of the extent of the ground water pollution from radioactive contaminant and its rate of flow and seepage into the Columbia River, and an analysis of the urgency of addressing some of the spent nuclear materials.
The second phase of the project from September 1998 to September 1999 will consist of reflecting on our tradition, the teaching of the Church, and information gained from reading the signs of the times. This particular phase will attempt to collate and organize what we have heard and seen in context of Catholic social justice teaching, our societal tradition of the common good, and our rich spiritual heritage. During this time we hope to develop an outline of the proposed pastoral and then write the first draft. Also during this second phase, initial decisions will be made regarding the video, the photo book, and possible implementation materials. Incidentally, we have had people come forward with an eager interest concerning the video and possible use of their photos of the river.
Finally, in phase three from September 1999 to spring 2000, we shall attempt to complete the pastoral letter and embark upon a plan for promotion. Our intent is to provide opportunity for final consultation on the pastoral, complete the product, and begin its promotion. Our hope is that the letter will sensitize our people to the marvelous gift of the river, encourage responsibility for its usage and sustainability, and help initiate a process of problem-solving focused on environmental and economic concerns surrounding the river.
The pastoral letter itself will be ultimately authored and approved by the participating bishops in the region. There is no question this effort is a daunting challenge. Yet, our unity and solidarity in the Church, our rich tradition of Catholic social justice teaching and the recent development of teaching on environmental justice, the continuing discussion about the use of the river and the significant tensions caused by opposing views, all lend themselves to this unique moment of our attempt to contribute to this complex discussion with the vision undergirded by ethical principles and good stewardship. I suspect that the process of bringing this project to conclusion might be just as important as the end product itself. Already significant concerns about this pastoral letter project have been allayed somewhat as the steering committee has repeatedly voiced our support for justice, respect for all involved, and a genuine attempt to listen, to learn, and to dialogue.
In closing, I would like to share from Pope John Paul II and from the book of Revelation. The first is from the Holy Father in his 1990 World Day of Peace message entitled: The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility. He wrote, "Today the ecological crisis has assumed such proportions as to be the responsibility of everyone....its various aspects demonstrate the need for concerted efforts aimed at establishing the duties and obligations that belong to individuals, peoples, States, and the international community ." (No. 15). In his encyclical Centesimus Annus the Pope insists that the State has a task of providing "for the defense and preservation of common good such as the natural and human environments, which cannot be safeguarded simply by market forces." (No. 40).
From the book of Revelation (22) we hear, "The angel then showed me the river of life-giving water, clear as crystal which issued from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowed down the middle of the streets. On either side of the river grew the trees of life....nothing deserves a curse shall be found there. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be there, and his servants shall serve him faithfully."
Yes, our river flows through our land. City streets come to its edge. Orchards line its banks. Its waters are life-giving. The Columbia River – flowing waters of life – a gift and treasure. May we be faithful servants and stewards.
Very Reverend William S. Skylstad
Bishop of Spokane
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