Breaking the Word

8^th Week in Ord. Time, Thursday – 1^st June 2023 – Sirach 42,15-26; Mark 10,32-45

God’s Mystery in Creation

The first reading describes how God wonderfully created the world and preserves all of creation. Creation then becomes an expression of God’s very being, reflecting his truth, his goodness, and his beauty, and God has total insight into all that takes place in his creation. Thus, Sirach speaks of the glory of God manifested in the beauty and marvels of creation. It is the product of God’s word, his creative, life-giving word. This is one of the first mentions of the creative “word” of God. In it God’s total knowledge (omniscience) and wisdom (ability to apply knowledge to action) are also described. There is nothing which can be hidden from God’s knowledge. The future, too, is known to him from all eternity. He reveals what has been and what has yet to be. Not a single thought escapes him, nor can anything remain hidden from him. In the same way, the fruits of his wisdom can be seen everywhere and he remains unchanging from all eternity. There is nothing that can be given to him which he does not already have, nor can anything be taken away from him. He needs no one to give him advice on how he should act. Down the ages, the beauty of our world has never ceased to mesmerize artists of all kinds – poets, painters and musicians. This beauty is something which will endure in one form or another as long as our created world exists, while, at the same time, each created thing has been brought into being to meet a particular need determined by him. These are evident as one looks upon what God has created and continues to keep in existence.

Visitation of the BVM, Wednesday – 31^st May 2023 — Gospel: Lk1,39-56

Blessed Wombs

Today’s celebration recounts Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. It reminds us of the importance of personal relationships between people and the need to be positively and joyfully involved in the lives of others. Mary undoubtedly assisted Elizabeth with numerous chores around the house, for which Elizabeth would have been most grateful. However, filled with the Holy Spirit Elizabeth was overjoyed upon seeing Mary because she brought Jesus with her. His title, Emmanuel, or “God with us”, was coming true in Elizabeth’s life, both she and her child in her womb experienced that. Rooted in humility and being filled with the Holy Spirit, Mary sings the praises of God exuberantly. She expresses from the depth of her heart the confidence and faith that God will accomplish all that he has promised. Though on the surface level the Visitation may appear to be Mary’s concern and love for her cousin, on the deeper level it means that Mary wants to share with Elizabeth God’s presence and what God has done in each of their lives and through the sons to be born of them, what God will do in the world.