Peace to all creatures great and small

Christmastime may bring a special longing for that illusive peace. Every year history teaches us how difficult it is for us to achieve peace. There are many, many reasons for this, mostly concerning our lifestyles. Peace may require a deep change of humanity, which is almost impossible to achieve collectively. But individually, changes are possible that lead to inner peace.

True peace cannot be achieved unless it concerns all creation. We cannot have inner peace if we continue to slaughter millions of animals just for the sake of our Christmas festivities!

If one realises the hidden cruelty, the misery and the suffering that that slice of turkey on one's Christmas dinner plate has gone through, from a hatchling to its killing, it will become really difficult to digest. While locally we are slowly awakening to the call for care and responsibility towards our home animals, let us not think that cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys are not animals too.

They are sentient creatures just as our pets. Animal cruelty laws are not the same for farm animals.

Sentient creatures long for a meaningful life, enjoyment, liberty, freedom from harm and cruelty. Yet, what we do to these creatures denies them everything that is rightfully theirs.

We industrialise them, reducing them to raw materials for the food industry.

More than 60 billion animals are slaughtered yearly for food, not counting fish! So massive is the meat industry that its impact on the environment and its contribution to global warming and climate change is more than that of the whole transport sector put together. And, yet, we speak of the integrity of creation! These creatures are just born to be killed and this is a mockery of that gift of life given by their Creator.

Make Christmas special for all creatures. Don't let Christmas be the worst time for these creatures. Be kind to all creation this festive season by choosing a vegetarian lunch or dinner. There is a host of delicious vegetarian cuisine to choose from. There are numerous vegetarian recipe books on the market or just visit the website of the local vegetarian society www.vegmalta.org.