Ordinary Time

Pause

God has many characteristics, but none may be more essential to our understanding than God as Creator.

The very beginning of our Scriptures paints this picture of God, someone who cannot help but make something out of what seems to be nothing.

The Creator God is still at work—in all the universe and in you as well. Free yourself now to be formed in these next quiet moments.

Listen

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:24–25

Think

Bring on the humans! We are capable of empathy and invention. We can reason and develop language. God gives humans dominion over all these creatures swimming and slithering, crawling and running about, making the earth an exciting place. Dominion means we have power and responsibility. This power is not meant for us to lord over the other creatures, but to manage and care for them responsibly.

Did you catch those plural pronouns? “Let us make…” and “in our image” are evidence of a relational God who is three in One—Creator, Son, and Spirit. The Trinity creates together to make both male and female humans in their own likeness. Besides when God calls Jesus, his beloved, at his baptism, I know no greater words of blessing than to say to someone, “You are made in the image of God.” In fact, when young children come forward for communion or to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, it is my standard line to say to them, “You are wonderfully made in the image of God.” Receive this blessing into yourself today, you wonderful human!

Valerie Burton

Pray

Loving Creator, help me to believe the truth about myself—I am made in your most wonderful image. When the opportunity presents itself, may I share this blessing with another human being today. Amen.

Go

Can you feel that movement, the ever-present hand of the ever-present God? The Creator is at work in you, for you, and through you. Go now to join in the newness that is afoot all around.