Yesterday, had it not been for the memorial of St. Paul Miki and his martyred companions, we would have read the glorious opening verses of the Bible, and the first four days of Creation—the creation of light and time and space and land and sea.
In today’s reading, God introduces into creation the spark of life—the life that fills the sky and ocean and land.
The Catechism has a wonderful section on God’s creation of the visible world, helping us to understand these verses’ relevance for our faith.
Firstly, Catechism says, Nothing exists that does not owe its existence to God the Creator. The world began when God's word drew it out of nothingness; all existent beings, all of nature, and all human history are rooted in this primordial event, the very genesis by which the world was constituted and time begun
Secondly, each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. For each one of the works of the "six days" it is said: "And God saw that it was good." Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God's infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment.
Thirdly, there is beauty in creation that invites us to contemplate it and study it. Those are certainly two joys of being endowed with human intellect.
Fourthly, there is a hierarchy of creatures from the less perfect to the more perfect with man as the summit of the Creator's work. To man, God endows with many gifts, but also many responsibilities. God “destined all material creatures for the good of the human race.” We are given dominion over the earth. It is not a sin to chop down a tree to build a house or make paper for a book or to keep ourselves warm. But we also have a special duty to make use of God’s creation according to God’s proper laws for God’s glory and not merely our own.
Finally, we heard of the sabbath. Creation was fashioned with a view to the sabbath and therefore for the worship and adoration of God. Worship is inscribed in the order of creation. As the rule of St. Benedict says, nothing should take precedence over "the work of God", that is, solemn worship.
We do well, even at this time of year with its grey days and cold winds to marvel at the glory of Creation, to be filled with wonder and awe at the beauty and structure of creation, to give thanks to God for all he has made, for all life, including our own, and to seek to make use of the gifts of creation to serve God in every way we can for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.
For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her, care for her, deliver her from evil, and aid her in her mission.
For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may establish and preserve harmony among us.
For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may grant them relief and move Christians to come to the aid of the suffering.
For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.
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