Word to the Wise
Monday, February 11, 2019 - Monday in the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 1:1-19 and Mark 6:53-56]In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." Thus evening came and morning followed - the first day. [Genesis]
"In the beginning...…" Those words begin the Bible and introduce us to a majestic account of creation. So many fundamental questions appear. Why is there anything at all? Why is there light and darkness? Why is there day and night? The account has a refrain that carries us along, "Evening came and morning followed - the_____day.
Another refrain is also present, "God saw how good it was." Thus, creation is soaked in God's goodness. It is not simply neutral material and chemistry, as fascinating as science can make it appear.
Faith in God as the origin of all creation and in creation as something good from the beginning will be our guiding principle for the next few days. Pope Francis has underlined this in his encyclical, Laudato si. We have a "common home" and a loving God who has provided it. AMEN