Then God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.'
God created man in His image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them.
God blessed them, saying: 'Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the ari, and all the living things that move on the earth.'
Meditation: Creation is something only God can do. no other being, not even the highest angel, can bring something out of nothing. God created the world and crowned it with human live out of His own infinite goodness; He was not looking to acquire something but only to give something: His life, his beatitude, his love. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, believed the devil's lie and turned away from the One Who already wanted them to be 'like gods', and the One Who had made them in his own image. An out of fear and shame they hid from the Very One Who forgives, the One Who says, 'Behold, I make all things new.' But God writes straight with crooked lines: 'O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!' (Easter Exsultet). This first Advent station directs us to glorify God for the wonderful gift of existence, and even more so for our redemption, for we are made new by Jesus Christ, the new Adam, born of Mary, the new Eve.
New Testament Scripture - Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be His people and God Himself will always be with them [as their God]. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain. [for] the old order has passed away.'
The One who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said, 'Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.'
Prayer: Heavenly Father, when Your Son became Man, you mad it possible for us to enjoy a destiny even greater that the earthly paradise, for you call us to eternal life with you in heaven as your sons and daughters. May we always stay free from discouragement and shame by remaining close to You. We pray especially that husbands and wives, and all who are preparing for marriage, will persevere in their Christian vocation to become and raise saints together. Give them the grace to manifest to the world the love between Christ and Church. And may we all persevere in Your grace so that we will reach our eternal home, our eternal family with the blessed in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Come peacefully, Thy people set aright,
No comments:
Post a Comment