← The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
Day 23: Creator of Heaven and Earth
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Were you there when he laid the foundation of the Earth? Fr. Mark-Mary brings us this pertinent question from the book of Job as we reflect on the Apostles Creed that we pray every Rosary. He explains that this question, far from being accusatory, is a promise of care from the Lord, a promise that we can trust in God to be God. Today’s focus is “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, ” and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.
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Foreign Mark Mary with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast, where through prayer and meditation, the Rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. This is day 23. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com rosary in a year or text RIY to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're going to pray each month and it's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen to the podcasts in the Ascension app. There are special features built just for this podcast and also recordings of the full rosary with myself and other friars. No matter what app you're listening in, remember to tap, follow or subscribe for your daily notifications. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. If you'll permit me, as we introduce the Creed, I'm going to say two things. The first one will be pretty quick. One of the most beautiful and moving takeaways from my time in seminary was seeing how our Dogmatics professor, the professor who taught some of these basics of theology, including the Holy Trinity, how he was moved by the Creed when speaking about it, or how he was moved by the Creed as he prayed it during the Rosary or the Holy Mass for those who get it, they understand the Apostles Creed and these particular articles of our faith. They don't just form the intellect, which they do, and that's important. They also fill the heart. And so as we are praying the Apostles Creed, as we're spending time these next couple of days slowly meditating upon particular parts of the Creed, like let them remind us of the fullness of the truth. Let them form our minds, but also fill our hearts. Now let's move to the main body of today's episode, and I want to look at God as Creator and what this means. And to do so, I'm going to take a reading from the Book of job. It's chapter 38 and we'll start with verse one. So job is in the midst of the struggle and some complaining and asking questions without maybe hoping for an answer. Brief context the Book of Job Job at this point is going through it and he's got some friends around and there's maybe some doubts going on about what's happening. And this is how God responds and it's awesome. Chapter 38, verse 1. Then the Lord Answered Job, out of the whirlwind. Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man. I will question you. And you shall declare to me, where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know. Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst forth from the womb, when it made clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, and said, thus far shall you come and no farther? Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey to whom I have given the steppe for its home and the salt land for his dwelling place? I love this reading this response from the Lord. Were you there? Were you there when I created the world? Because you, Job, and you, Father Mark, Mary, and often you, my brothers and sisters, you're trying to run the world. You're trying to control the world. And God says, like, you can't even make a donkey. And there's. Sometimes we need to hear that as we are trying to take the place of God. Remember, he is the Creator. He is the Almighty. He is the one who put the stars in the sky and gave the oceans and the seas their boundaries. He is the One who made the hawk and the eagle. He is the One who didn't just make one donkey, but made all of the donkeys. The response is reverence. The response is trust. The response is, okay, Lord your God, here's what's going on. But I trust you. I surrender to you. I repent. Of all the ways I'm trying to be God. It's just this beautiful invitation as we reflect on God, the Creator, to look at all of creation. Look at its vastness, its size, look at its intricacy, look at its beauty, look at its harmony, its intelligibility, and be moved to praise and wonder and awe and reverence towards the Creator who hasn't abandoned us, who continues to create, who continues to write a beautiful story, who continue to bring cosmos out of chaos. And what this looks like. You know, I think this response from Job, it can be a little strong. And sometimes we Need a strong word. What's it going to look like for most of us and most situations is how it looks when Jesus responds to Mary while her brother and Jesus friend Lazarus is in the tomb. Jesus knows he's going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He says, like, I am the life, I am the resurrection. He's going to create again out of nothing. He's going to give life where there is death. And yet, before Mary's cry, before Mary's pain and suffering, Jesus weeps. He enters into it, he receives it. But then he communicates and reminds that I am God, I am the resurrection and the life. And then he acts from that place. He creates again. He gives life where there was death. And so, my brothers and sisters, this is an invitation that I offer you today as we pray the Creed. Let's let God be God. Let's look at the beauty, the majesty, the glory that surrounds us in all of creation. Let's repent of all the ways in which we have tried to be God and tell him how to do his job when we can't even make a single donkey. So now, in this moment, let's just bring the questions, bring the doubt, bring the pain, bring all the ways in which we can relate to Job. And let's bring it to the Lord with trust and confidence and reverence that he listens to us and that he is God, Almighty, God, Creator. We bring it all to you. Help us to trust you. Help us to grow in repentance of all the ways in which we have tried to be God. Let us pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. All right, friends, thank you for joining me and praying with me again today. I look forward to continuing the journey with you tomorrow. Poco Alpoco, friends. All right. God bless y'all.