SAINT PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS (MEMORIAL)

The earth was a formless wasteland. 

This description of the earth doesn’t bring to mind an image of God’s goodness and love, does it? But in today’s first reading, the earth and the skies slowly change. They become progressively more beautiful and filled with life. Yes, it’s a story of how God created the universe, but we can also see in it a reflection of how God works to bring us out of darkness and into the light of his love.

Whether it took six days or six billion years to create the universe, what’s clear is that God took his time. He didn’t create everything in an instant, with all the stars, planets, oceans, and creatures immediately in place. He started with a wasteland.

Can you think of a “wasteland” in your life? You may be struggling with an addiction, a loss of income, or the death of a loved one. Or maybe your wastelands are a little less dramatic, like a stubborn bad habit or trouble at work. Whatever it is, it can sometimes feel as if God is absent and you can see no end in sight.

But God has not left you alone! In fact, he is already at work in a hidden, mysterious way. Note that in the wasteland in Genesis, there were already signs of God’s presence: in the water and in the wind, both of which are typically signs of the Holy Spirit.

Whether your wastelands are the result of your own sins or circumstances beyond your control, remember that God is still with you. The more you turn to him, the more you’ll discover his creative, healing grace. You may start to see him in the “wind” and the “waters” that surround you. And seeing him, you’ll be able to trust that he knows what he is doing.

So be patient. God is an expert in bringing light and beauty out of our wastelands. Let him work at his own perfect pace. Be alert as well to the signs of hope that he gives you, even in your darkest times. You can be confident that death and destruction will never have the final say. They are merely the “barren” landscape that God can use to create something even more beautiful!

“Father, even when life seems barren or hopeless, help me to trust in your creative presence with me.”

Genesis 1:1-19
Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 24, 35
Mark 6:53-56