 |
| "Nagasaki Martyrs" Artist and Date are UNKNOWN |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Genesis 1:1-19
Commentary on Gn 1:1-19
This selection is the beginning of Genesis, the first book in the Bible. Here we see the first four days of the first of two creation accounts. This, the Priestly account, shows how God creates order out of chaos. There are several important concepts referenced in this selection that are used or referenced by later authors. Reference to the “abyss” in v. 2 was, according to Semitic cosmology, the gathering of all water. In the creative act, God separated the waters into seas (salt-water) and springs-fresh water from under the earth (see Psalm 33:7; Ezekiel 31:4). Another portion of water is held in the dome of the sky (“the upper water” see Psalm 33:7; Ezekiel 31:4) to fall as rain (Genesis 7:11; 2 Kings 7:2, 19; Psalm 104:13).
CCC: Gn 1:1-2:4 337; Gn 1:1 268, 279, 280, 290; Gn 1:2-3 292; Gn 1:2 243, 703, 1218; Gn 1:3 298; Gn 1:4 299; Gn 1:10 299; Gn 1:12 299; Gn 1:14 347; Gn 1:18 299
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c
R. (31b) May the Lord be glad in his works.
Commentary on Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c
This section of Psalm 104 is praising God for the creation of all things, which supports Genesis’ creation accounts Genesis 1:1–2:25. It reminds us not to take that first gift for granted, but to constantly thank God for the wonders of his works.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 6:53-56
Commentary on Mk 6:53-56
This selection takes up the account of Jesus' healing ministry immediately following the account of the feeding of the multitudes (Mark 6:35-44), and his encounter with the disciples as he walked upon the waters (Mark 6:45-52). Jesus continues his journey, and cures many people who come to him. This is the same location in which Peter, Andrew, James, and John had lived and was, in fact, the location where Jesus had called them. It is for this reason he was so quickly recognized.
CCC: Mk 6:56 1504
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) One may wonder why we begin this homiletic reflection with scripture not used in the readings today. It is placed here at the beginning because faith is so necessary to understand what takes place in the other scriptures presented.
The first reading from Genesis, the very beginning of the Bible and all that follows, has caused great controversy in the world. Those who look at the world with purely rational eyes point to the creation account as proof that all we believe is myth – a fable for those unable to see the logic of science. Others take the words recorded in Genesis and use them to deny scientific findings, going to the complete opposite end of the spectrum. And what is the truth?
The truth is that those who claim to know the scientific facts about earth and its origins run into a big problem when they start tracing creation back to its roots. At some point those rooted in the rational, although many choose not to accept it, run squarely into God and the need for faith. There is no scientific evidence for creation, only God’s fingerprints.
At the same time, those who claim that God’s creation took six days, made up of 24 hours each, have attempted to put God in a box. They have attempted to understand the unknowable using human language and concepts. Ironically, they even ignore scripture passages that point to this fact (for example Psalm 90: 4, “A thousand years in your eyes are merely a yesterday”).
We believe that God, who is all powerful and omnipresent, is known to us only when we are ultimately transformed, and join him in his heavenly kingdom. We cannot fully grasp his purpose or plan. We can only do our best to come to know him through the Word he left us, the incarnate Word which we consume in the Eucharist, and the Word of God left to us in Sacred Scripture. We are enjoined to use all the faculties of intelligence and faith the Lord gave us to understand his will and intent, delving into the miracle of his creation.
There is of course a caution here. Life, especially human life, is God’s alone to give or take. Mankind is cautioned that delving too deeply, pretending that like God, man can create life, places him in great peril. We have already seen the result of some of these excesses. In spite of our best efforts to the contrary we are likely to see more. We must pray that reason will prevail against arrogance and megalomania in the years to come.
Today our prayer is this: That we might come to know God more completely, and be given the grace to understand all that is possible about God’s creation and our place within it. May we be given the wisdom to know that which can be known, and the faith to accept that which cannot.
Pax
No comments:
Post a Comment