Reading 1
Gn1:1-19
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.
Then God said,
“Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters,
to separate one body of water from the other.”
And so it happened:
God made the dome,
and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
God called the dome “the sky.”
Evening came, and morning followed–the second day.
Then God said,
“Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin,
so that the dry land may appear.”
And so it happened:
the water under the sky was gathered into its basin,
and the dry land appeared.
God called the dry land “the earth,”
and the basin of the water he called “the sea.”
God saw how good it was.
Then God said,
“Let the earth bring forth vegetation:
every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it.”
And so it happened:
the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth that
bears fruit with its seed in it.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed–the third day.
Then God said:
“Let there be lights in the dome of the sky,
to separate day from night.
Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,
and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth.”
And so it happened:
God made the two great lights,
the greater one to govern the day,
and the lesser one to govern the night;
and he made the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth,
to govern the day and the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed–the fourth day.
Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c
Responsorial PsalmR. (31b)
May the Lord be glad in his works.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
With the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures;
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
Gospel
Mk 6:53-56
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.
Meditation: Genesis 1:1-19
“God said… . And so it happened.” (Genesis 1:6)
Life can be chaotic at times. So many issues compete for our time and attention that we risk losing sight of the Lord and his presence. Whenever we feel ourselves getting caught up in the busyness of our lives, it’s a good idea to get back to the basics—and to do that by going back to the beginning! We can recall how, at the very start of creation, God spoke order into chaos, light into darkness. We can recall how by simply speaking a word, he brought into existence the very thing that he spoke.
This may sound terribly theological and theoretical, but it is far more practical than that! For God, who never changes, is still speaking words to us. He is still bringing new life into being—in our very hearts! For instance, in Confession, when we hear the priest say: “I absolve you of all your sins,” our sins really have been forgiven! Likewise at Mass, when we hear: “This is my body, which will be given up for you,” Jesus really does become present in a new and powerful way.
How can we hear God’s voice? By listening! A good strategy is to buy yourself a notebook or a prayer journal. Every time you think God is speaking to you—through a prayer at Mass, as you read the Scriptures, as you ponder a beautiful sunset— write down what you think he is saying. These little notes can help show you how much God is at work. They can also give you greater confidence in his ability to bring forth the very words he is speaking.
When your life starts to feel chaotic, go back to your journal and recall a time when you felt particularly close to God. Let that memory spur you to listen for him again. Maybe he gave you a sense that he would never abandon you. Maybe he lightened an emotional burden you were carrying or comforted you after the loss of a loved one. Let these times encourage you to quiet your heart and listen again.
Never doubt that God wants to speak to you. He loves to speak peace into our lives. So stop and listen today. He who spoke everything into existence has a word for you!
“Lord, open my ears! I believe that your word can touch and transform me.”
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