New Life in Creation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today emphasize Divine Presence in Creation and our invitation to participate in fullness of life through our relationship with Christ.

Presence in the Storm

In the reading from the Book of Job, the Lord answers Job.

* [38:1] Now the Lord enters the debate and addresses two discourses (chaps. 38–39 and 40–41) to Job, speaking of divine wisdom and power. Such things are altogether beyond the capacity of Job. Out of the storm: frequently the background of the appearances of the Lord in the Old Testament; cf. Ps 18; 50; Na 1:3; Hb 3:2–15. (Job, CHAPTER 38 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 107 is a thanksgiving for deliverance from Many Troubles.

* [Psalm 107] A hymn inviting those who have been rescued by God to give praise (Ps 107:1–3). Four archetypal divine rescues are described, each ending in thanksgiving: from the sterile desert (Ps 107:4–9), from imprisonment in gloom (Ps 107:10–16), from mortal illness (Ps 107:17–22), and from the angry sea (Ps 107:23–32). The number four connotes totality, all the possible varieties of rescue. The same saving activity of God is shown in Israel’s history (Ps 107:33–41); whenever the people were endangered God rescued them. The last verses invite people to ponder the persistent saving acts of God (Ps 107:42–43). (Psalms, PSALM 107 | USCCB, n.d.)

The reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians proclaims the ministry of Reconciliation  and our status as a New Creation.

* [5:16–17] Consequently: the death of Christ described in 2 Cor 5:14–15 produces a whole new order (2 Cor 5:17) and a new mode of perception (2 Cor 5:16). According to the flesh: the natural mode of perception, characterized as “fleshly,” is replaced by a mode of perception proper to the Spirit. Elsewhere Paul contrasts what Christ looks like according to the old criteria (weakness, powerlessness, folly, death) and according to the new (wisdom, power, life); cf. 2 Cor 5:15, 21; 1 Cor 1:17–3:3. Similarly, he describes the paradoxical nature of Christian existence, e.g., in 2 Cor 4:10–11, 14. A new creation: rabbis used this expression to describe the effect of the entrance of a proselyte or convert into Judaism or of the remission of sins on the Day of Atonement. The new order created in Christ is the new covenant (2 Cor 3:6).

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus stills a Storm.

* [4:35–5:43] After the chapter on parables, Mark narrates four miracle stories: Mk 4:35–41; 5:1–20; and two joined together in Mk 5:21–43. See also notes on Mt 8:23–34 and 9:8–26.

* [4:39] Quiet! Be still!: as in the case of silencing a demon (Mk 1:25), Jesus rebukes the wind and subdues the turbulence of the sea by a mere word; see note on Mt 8:26.

* [4:41] Jesus is here depicted as exercising power over wind and sea. In the Christian community this event was seen as a sign of Jesus’ saving presence amid persecutions that threatened its existence. (Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Vivian Amu comments that when we feel cornered by the storms in our life, may we hear God say, “be still, I am here. The storm will pass.” When we are faced with big decisions and we feel a storm brewing in our souls, may we hear God say, “Let us cross to the other side together.” Sometimes we may find ourselves saying, “Lord, do you not care that my loved one is ill? that I am ill? that I have lost more than I can bear? That the world is hurting?” Maybe our deep focus on those storms causes us to throw our hands up or maybe even hold on too tightly to everything except the outstretched hand of Jesus.

Turn your attention to Jesus who has heard your call. Let us take his hand and let him lead us through the storms that show up in our lives. Have faith, even a little is sufficient to help us stay quiet and still in the storm while the one whom the wind and sea obey calms the storm and makes way for new and beautiful things in our lives.

Lord, help me see your outstretched hand in the storm and please do not let me lose sight of you. (Amu, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Awakening the Christ asleep within you,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind. When your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate; but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune - shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him... A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: 'Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him." (excerpt from Sermons 63:1-3) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 4:35-41 comments on the question the disciples ask: Who is this? He is the One whose word goes forth and accomplishes his purposes and plans in this world (Isaiah 55:11). He spoke, and all things came into being. His word has the same power in our lives, the power to bring the healing, forgiveness, and peace that he proclaims.

Who is this? This is Jesus, eternal Son of the Father, who creates and sustains all things (Colossians 1:16-17). He holds all of creation together. And he holds you and your loved ones as well.

“Jesus, I praise you, for through your word, you show me who you are—the all-powerful God!” (Meditation on Mark 4:35-41, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the conclusion of the Book of Job where God addresses the complaints and concerns of Job. As Paul proclaims in 2 Corinthians, our death with Christ brings us to the New Creation and New Life in Christ. Friar Jude reminds us of the contrast between the philosophical treatment in Luke of Jesus calming the sea compared to the conquering of fear of evil with the authority of God in the passage from Mark.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares the universal need to express our grief. Perhaps the simplest and most inclusive definition of grief is “unfinished hurt.” It feels like a demon spinning around inside of us and it hurts too much, so we immediately look for someone else to blame. We have to learn to remain open to our grief, to wait in patient expectation for what it has to teach us. When we close in too tightly around our sadness or grief, when we try to fix it, control it, or understand it, we only deny ourselves its lessons.

Saint Ephrem the Syrian (303–373) considered tears to be sacramental signs of divine mercy. He instructs: “Give God weeping, and increase the tears in your eyes: through your tears and [God’s] goodness the soul which has been dead will be restored.” [1] What a different kind of human being than most of us! In the charismatic circles in which I participated during my early years of ministry, holy tears were a common experience. Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi reportedly wept all the time—for days on end! 

The “weeping mode” is a different way of being in the world. It’s different than the fixing, explaining, or controlling mode. We’re finally free to feel the tragedy of things, the sadness of things. Tears cleanse our eyes both physically and spiritually so we can begin to see more clearly. Sometimes we have to cry for a very long time because we’re not seeing truthfully or well at all. Tears only come when we realize we can’t fix and we can’t change reality. The situation is absurd, it’s unjust, it’s wrong, it’s impossible. She should not have died; he should not have died. How could this happen? Only when we are led to the edges of our own resources are we finally free to move to the weeping mode. (Rohr, n.d.)

We are invited to see our world in the light of our relationship with Christ as a New Creation wherein our fullness of life is in communion with God, people and nature through all the circumstances of life.

References

Amu, V. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/062324.html 

Job, CHAPTER 38 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/job/38?1 

Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/4?35 

Meditation on Mark 4:35-41. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/06/23/1006175/ 

Psalms, PSALM 107 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/107?23 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-universal-need-to-grieve/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jun23 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/5?14 

Service and Signs

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to invoke the Holy Spirit in our actions of truth, goodness, and charity and recognize Jesus' participation in our service.

Place of Service

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Seven are chosen to serve the need for assistants.

* [6:1–7] The Hellenists…the Hebrews: the Hellenists were not necessarily Jews from the diaspora, but were more probably Palestinian Jews who spoke only Greek. The Hebrews were Palestinian Jews who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and who may also have spoken Greek. Both groups belong to the Jerusalem Jewish Christian community. The conflict between them leads to a restructuring of the community that will better serve the community’s needs. The real purpose of the whole episode, however, is to introduce Stephen as a prominent figure in the community whose long speech and martyrdom will be recounted in Acts 7.

* [6:2–4] The essential function of the Twelve is the “service of the word,” including development of the kerygma by formulation of the teachings of Jesus.

* [6:2] To serve at table: some commentators think that it is not the serving of food that is described here but rather the keeping of the accounts that recorded the distribution of food to the needy members of the community. In any case, after Stephen and the others are chosen, they are never presented carrying out the task for which they were appointed (Acts 6:2–3). Rather, two of their number, Stephen and Philip, are presented as preachers of the Christian message. They, the Hellenist counterpart of the Twelve, are active in the ministry of the word.

* [6:6] They…laid hands on them: the customary Jewish way of designating persons for a task and invoking upon them the divine blessing and power to perform it. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 33 praises the Greatness and Goodness of God.

* [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Ps 33:1–3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Ps 33:4–5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Ps 33:6–9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Ps 33:10–11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Ps 33:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 33 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus walks on the water.

* [6:16–21] The fifth sign is a nature miracle, portraying Jesus sharing Yahweh’s power. Cf. the parallel stories following the multiplication of the loaves in Mk 6:45–52 and Mt 14:22–33.

* [6:19] Walking on the sea: although the Greek (cf. Jn 6:16) could mean “on the seashore” or “by the sea” (cf. Jn 21:1), the parallels, especially Mt 14:25, make clear that Jesus walked upon the water. John may allude to Jb 9:8: God “treads upon the crests of the sea.”

* [6:20] It is I: literally, “I am.” See also notes on Jn 4:26 and Mk 6:50. (John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries was not available at publication time.

Don Schwager quotes “Christ our physician,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"God sent the human race a physician, a savior, One Who healed without charging a fee. Christ also came to reward those who would be healed by Him. Christ heals the sick, and He makes a gift to those whom He heals. And the gift that He makes is Himself!" (excerpt from Sermon 102,2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 6:1-7 comments that as we minister within the Church or fulfill our role as a spouse, parent, or child, remember those deacons. Their most important qualification was their openness and obedience to the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit can fill you with all that you need to bring the love of Jesus to whatever role you have. He can give you wisdom to know what to do with a troubled child or how to care for an elderly parent. He can fill you with the desire to lead a Bible study or small group to share your faith with other people.

You can be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to move in you and shine forth from you. Rely on him as you go about your daily tasks, and you may be surprised at the way he leads you!

“Holy Spirit, I’m eager to serve in any way you need me.” (Meditation on Acts 6:1-7, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler contrasts some passages in Acts about unity in the community with the decision today to appoint assistants to oversee the fair distribution of food to both Hellenists and Hebrews in the community. The diaconate became a recognized part of the tripartite clery circa 150 CE. Friar Jude reminds us of the dual danger perceived in the Sea of Galilee, storms and the reservoir of evil.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author Felicia Murrell who invites us to practice knowing and experiencing God’s love. How do we get to the place where this is the God we see, the God we encounter and know, the God who frames our imaginings when we think of God? 

For me, Divine Love is unveiled through communion, connection, and acts of living that create openhearted wonder.  

Consistent engagement with spiritual practices often invites us into such spaciousness, creating access points for us to become more consciously aware of Divine Love’s kenotic expression in us and through us.  

To that end, all spiritual practices have this purpose—to allow us to touch the depths of our inner selves and to live a generous life of participation with Divine Love in absolute openheartedness; to move from what we know in our heads about God to living and moving and having our being in God; to be present in this life, to the world around us, and to Divine Love.  

What is true about God? God is Love (1 John 4:16). (Rohr, n.d.)

We have the opportunity in our service, like Jesus, of the needs of others, to encounter the Divine Love and the power of the Spirit.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/6?1 

John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?16 

Meditation on Acts 6:1-7. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/04/13/935781/ 

Psalms, PSALM 33 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/33?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Tending the Fire Within: Weekly Summary. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/tending-the-fire-within-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=apr13