SAINT SCHOLASTICA, VIRGIN (MEMORIAL)

God made the earth and the heavens.

Whether our universe was created in a few days or a few billion years, one truth is clear: God is the One who started it all. He created everything out of nothing, and he sustains everything by the power of his love.

Isn’t that amazing? Not even the most talented scientist has been able to make life out of nothing—or even to create life from an inanimate substance, like the clay that God used to create Adam (Genesis 2:7). No scientist can fully explain how that first spark of life emerged on our planet. Although science has important truths to reveal, it was God who designed the universe and guided its development.

And because God had us in mind as the apex of his beautiful creation, he made certain that all our needs would be met. This included not only our physical need for food, water, and sunlight, but also our inner need for beauty and order. We see this in the way the Book of Genesis describes the Garden of Eden: its trees were “delightful to look at” as well as “good for food” (2:9).

Take a moment to thank God that he has put you on this beautiful planet, right now, right where you are. Not only has he created the sun, the stars, the seas, and the mountains, but he brought you into existence! You are unique, wonderfully made in his image, and deeply beloved by him.

But with these great blessings come responsibilities. God entrusted Adam to “cultivate and care” for the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15). That’s a task for all of us. He wants us to tend to this world and its many creatures so that it can continue to sustain us and reflect his glory. When you do what you can to care for creation, you are treasuring this gift and preserving it for future generations. Not only that, but when you carefully attend to the creation God loves and cares about, you become an expression of his own love for the world.

“Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life—my own and the life that surrounds me. Help me to think of you every time I enjoy your creation.”

Psalm 104:1-2, 27-30
Mark 7:14-23
Genesis 2:4-9,15-19

WORD AMONG US