The Hand of God at work

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, offer a contrast between two accounts of the Hand of God at work in our lives.

Living in Creation

From Genesis Chapter 1, the Story of Creation shows the omnipotent Presence of Creator from nothing.

 * [1:1–2:3] This section, from the Priestly source, functions as an introduction, as ancient stories of the origin of the world (cosmogonies) often did. It introduces the primordial story (2:4–11:26), the stories of the ancestors (11:27–50:26), and indeed the whole Pentateuch. The chapter highlights the goodness of creation and the divine desire that human beings share in that goodness. God brings an orderly universe out of primordial chaos merely by uttering a word. In the literary structure of six days, the creation events in the first three days are related to those in the second three.

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus, the Son, shows intimate human compassion in the account of the Healings at Gennesaret.

George Butterfield observes that when the people are healed, he sees Jesus, just like in creation, standing back and saying, "Man, that is good." It's as if the Gospel writers are saying, Let me show you just how good God and his work is.

The psalm for today includes parts of Psalm 104. Do yourself a favor: pick up your Bible and read all of it. What a magnificent psalm it is. The psalmist calls upon his inner being to bless the Lord. God is so great; his robe is majesty, glory, and light. God organized everything so that it works together beautifully. The earth and the ocean each have their place. The fuller reading of the psalm really emphasizes how everything has its own role but complements the rest of creation.3

Don Schwager quotes “Christ's wounds bring healing and life,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"The Lord of hosts was not signaling weakness as he gave sight to the blind, made the crooked to stand upright, raised the dead to life (Matthew 11:5), anticipated the effects of medicine at our prayers, and cured those who sought after him. Those who merely touched the fringe of his robe were healed (Mark 6:56). Surely you did not think it was some divine weakness, you speculators, when you saw him wounded. Indeed there were wounds that pierced his body (Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; John 19:18, 31-37), but they did not demonstrate weakness but strength. For from these wounds flowed life to all, from the One who was the life of all." (excerpt from ON THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 4.5.54–55.16)4 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 6:53-56 notes that two thousand years of Church history and current events tell us that many miracles of healing still take place today. But the same combination of history and today’s news tells us that not everyone who asks is healed. This is a mystery that we just can’t explain. We don’t know why some are healed and why some aren’t. We do know, however, that God is more loving than we can ever imagine and that he always has our best interests at heart.

It is never wrong to ask God for healing. We should feel free to ask for it boldly, with the confidence of a child asking his father for help.
When Jesus sent his disciples out and told them to “cure the sick,” he wanted them to know that divine healing was something they should expect—even when he wasn’t physically present with them (Matthew 10:8). This may run counter to our experience, but we should be careful not to put God in a box. He is still God, and that means that he can and sometimes will do what is humanly impossible.5 

Friar Jude Winkler explains connections in the Priestly account of Creation (Genesis 1) from around 550 BCE to Babylonian creation myths. The Spirit hovering over the void transforms chaos to beauty. Friar Jude comments on touching Jesus garment for healing. This action resonates with the Yahwist account of “hands-on” creation. (Genesis 2) from around 950 BCE.

Creation and healing are concerns that exhibit themselves as we contemplate living at a time when we seem to do battle with our created home, the earth, even as healing of our wounds is most needed.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 11, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Genesis/1:1
2	(n.d.). Mark, chapter 6 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 11, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/6
3	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved February 11, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 11, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). Our Lady of Lourdes - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved February 11, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/02/11