In the reading from First Corinthians this Sunday, Saint Paul speaks of “God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew.” A new discovery deep in the Amazon forest also suggests an ancient, hidden, and mysterious wisdom.

“In the absence of widespread deforestation, exploitation of forest products shaped a largely forested landscape that survived intact until the late 20th century.”

The Amazon's trees and plants are responsible for providing more than 20 percent of the world’s oxygen. That is why the Amazon was given the nickname Lungs of the Planet.