The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate with awe Creation and the life we draw from the action of the Spirit on our journey.
The reading from the Book of Genesis begins the story of Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath.
* [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.
Psalm 104 praises God the Creator and Provider.
* [Psalm 104] A hymn praising God who easily and skillfully made rampaging waters and primordial night into a world vibrant with life. The psalmist describes God’s splendor in the heavens (Ps 104:1–4), how the chaotic waters were tamed to fertilize and feed the world (Ps 104:5–18), and how primordial night was made into a gentle time of refreshment (Ps 104:19–23). The picture is like Gn 1:1–2: a dark and watery chaos is made dry and lighted so that creatures might live. The psalmist reacts to the beauty of creation with awe (Ps 104:24–34). May sin not deface God’s work (Ps 104:35)! (Psalms, PSALM 104, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is healing the sick in Gennesaret.
“as many as touched it were healed.” (Mark, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)
Tom Purcell likes to place himself in the scene sometimes when reflecting on a reading.
Different threads today, but my prayer is for the grace to steward water and respect its power, to embrace doubt that challenges my faith, and to accept that a skeptic’s good fortune does not diminish my own gift of the love of God. (Purcell, n.d.)
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) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 1:1-19 comments that in the wasteland in Genesis, there were already signs of God’s presence: in the water and in the wind, both of which are typically signs of the Holy Spirit. Whether our wastelands are the result of our own sins or circumstances beyond our control, remember that God is still with us. The more we turn to him, the more we will discover his creative, healing grace. We may start to see him in the “wind” and the “waters” that surround us. And seeing him, we will be able to trust that he knows what he is doing.
So be patient. God is an expert in bringing light and beauty out of our wastelands. Let him work at his own perfect pace. Be alert as well to the signs of hope that he gives you, even in your darkest times. You can be confident that death and destruction will never have the final say. They are merely the “barren” landscape that God can use to create something even more beautiful!
“Father, even when life seems barren or hopeless, help me to trust in your creative presence with me.” (Meditation on Genesis 1:1-19, n.d.)
The link to the commentary by Friar Jude Winkler is experiencing technical difficulty at this time.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explains that, at the CAC, they use the metaphor of a tricycle to illustrate a dynamic relationship. The front wheel is experience and the two back wheels are Scripture and Tradition.
Since the Reformation in the sixteenth century, much Christian infighting and misunderstanding has occurred over the Catholic and Orthodox emphasis on Tradition versus the Protestant emphasis on Scripture. Tradition usually got confused with small cultural traditions, and the Protestant cry of “Scripture alone!” gradually devolved into each group choosing among the Scriptures it would emphasize or ignore.
Both currents have now shown their weaknesses and biases. They lacked the dynamic third principle of God experience: personal experience that is processed and held accountable by both Scripture and Tradition, as well as by solid spiritual direction and counseling. This is our trilateral principle at the Living School for Action and Contemplation. [3] (Rohr, 2023)
Our experience of Creation and recreation in the events of our life affirm our faith in the eternal love of God.
References
Genesis, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/1?1
Mark, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?53
Meditation on Genesis 1:1-19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/02/06/604730/
Psalms, PSALM 104. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/104?1
Purcell, T. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020623.html
Rohr, R. (2023, February 6). A Holy Balancing Act — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-holy-balancing-act-2023-02-06/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Many Were Made Well. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=feb6
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