January 8, 2023
You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.
O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Genesis: 20-31
20-23 God spoke: “Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!” God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters, And every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!” It was evening, it was morning— Day Five.
24-25 God spoke: “Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds.” And there it was: wild animals of every kind, Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good.
26-28 God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.” God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”
29-30 Then God said, “I’ve given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth And every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.” And there it was.
31 God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning— Day Six.
Falling in Love
In Genesis, chapter 1, verses 26-28, God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
Think about the last time you created something – a painting, a poem, even baked cookies or documented a technical procedure for work. Perhaps wrote a letter to a friend or relative that you were proud of. It’s okay to see your work and declare it “good”.
Now think of a person you love, really love, who you would sacrifice for. Is it a spouse? Your child or parent? A best friend? Feel that love and identify it in your body. Breathe into that spot, so it can grow.
And now, imagine your favorite place on earth. A place outside, a place that reflects God’s beauty. Is it near water? High in a mountain? A special garden or park? Your own back yard? Mine is the middle of Lake George, toward the northern end, where there are no houses on the shore, only mountains on either side, and islands in the middle. My family camped on the islands every summer growing up.
Take a moment and visualize your place, smell the smells, listen to the sounds, feel the air, notice the colors. In about 10 words, where is your place?
Now that we have shared our joy with our places, notice your feeling right now. Isn’t it even more joyful? And kind of like the feeling of falling in love?
We love our Earthly Mother. She is all things physical: the earth we stand on, the air we breathe, the water we drink, our bodies, our homes, all things that sustain this one life. Many of us, to “get away” will go for a hike, or garden, or take a walk. We need to get out of the house and be alone. Be alone, yet with God, whatever we perceive God to be.
Today, we are perceiving God as the physical. And we are loving this part of God.
Let’s return to our reading. God said: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
God said that we were made in their image and reflecting God’s nature, and making us responsible for the earth. Wow, how does that make you feel? That could be a heavy burden!
Yet we were made God-like. We have the power to create and improve, and we have the power to destroy. Let’s go back to something you created and were proud of. How would you feel if a child, without realizing what they were doing, destroyed that creation? Yes, it would make you sad. What if that person you fell in love with was very sick? You would do what you could to help them get better. You certainly would not give them something you knew you knew would make them sicker.
We love our favorite places on earth. You know it, you can feel it. These places are being destroyed, by the very creatures that God created to take care of them. It is from this place of love that we humans can restore our beautiful earth. One person at a time.
Don’t be afraid. Fear only stops us. Love drives us forward. We protect what we love. We care for what we love. We do God’s will when we love something, and then take responsibility for that. Over the next few weeks, we will be looking into some specific actions that we as individuals can actually do to help our dear home.
We finish today by praying a prayer that Jesus had taught the Essenes, from the Essene Gospel of Peace, translated by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely. It comes directly after Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer as we know it. Let us pray.
Our Mother which art upon earth, hallowed be thy name. They kingdom come, thy will be done in us, as it is in thee. As thou sendest every day thy angels, send them to us also. Forgive us our sins, as we atone all our sins against thee. And lead us not into sickness, but deliver us from all evil, for thine is the earth, the body, and the health. Amen.
Comments