YOUCAT Catechism +
Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 46
Ave Maria series
46. Why does the Book of Genesis depict the work
of creation as “the work of six days”?
The symbol of the work week, which is crowned by a day of
rest (Genesis 1:1-2:3), is an expression of how good, beautiful, and wisely
ordered creation is. [337-342]
Dagger Falls, Idaho by Stephanie May. .....46
From the symbolism of “the work of six days” we can derive
important principles: (1) Nothing exists
that was not called into being by the Creator.
(2) Everything that exists is good in its own way. (3) Something that has become bad still has a
good core. (4) Created beings and things
are interrelated and interdependent. (5)
Creation in its order and harmony reflects the surpassing goodness and beauty
of God. (6) In creation there is an
order of complexity: man is superior to an animal, an animal is superior to a
plant, a plant is superior to inanimate matter.
(7) Creation is heading for the great celebration when Christ will bring
the world home and God will be everything to everyone. 362
GENESIS (Greek=origin, beginning): the first book of the Bible, which describes, among other things, the creation of the world and man.
337-342
337 God himself created the visible world in all its richness,
diversity and order. Scripture presents the work of the Creator symbolically as
a succession of six days of divine "work", concluded by the
"rest" of the seventh day.( Genesis 1:l-2:4.)204 On the subject of
creation, the sacred text teaches the truths revealed by God for our
salvation,( Compare Dei
Verbum 11.)205 permitting
us to "recognize the inner nature, the value and the ordering of the whole
of creation to the praise of God."( Lumen
Gentium 36 § 2.)206 –Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Second Edition
338 Nothing exists
that does not owe its existence to God the Creator. The world began when God's word drew it out of nothingness;
all existent beings, all of nature, and all human history are rooted in this
primordial event, the very genesis by which the world was constituted and time
begun.( Compare St. Augustine, De Genesi adv. Man. 1,2,4:
Patrologia Latina 34,175.)207 --CCC
339 Each creature
possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. For each one of the works of the "six days" it is
said: "And God saw that it was good." "By the very nature of
creation, material being is endowed with its own stability, truth and
excellence, its own order and laws."( Gaudium
et Spes 36 § 1.)208 Each of
the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray
of God's infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the
particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things
which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous
consequences for human beings and their environment. --CCC
341 The beauty of the universe: The order and harmony of the created world results from the diversity of beings and from the relationships which exist among them. Man discovers them progressively as the laws of nature. They call forth the admiration of scholars. The beauty of creation reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator and ought to inspire the respect and submission of man's intellect and will. --CCC
342 The hierarchy of creatures is expressed by the order of the
"six days", from the less perfect to the more perfect. God loves all
his creatures(Compare Psalm 145:9.)209 and takes care of each
one, even the sparrow. Nevertheless, Jesus said: "You are of more value
than many sparrows", or again: "Of how much more value is a man than
a sheep!"( Luke 12:6-7; Matthew 12:12.)210 --CCC
No comments:
Post a Comment