Saint Patrick Catholic Church
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Sacraments >
      • Eucharist
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Vocations
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Staff
    • History
    • Registration
    • Stewardship >
      • Why give?
    • Parish Boundaries
    • Cemetery
  • Calendar
    • Parish Calendar
    • Liturgical Roles
    • Religious Education
    • Liturgical Calendar
    • Holy Days of Obligation
  • Ministries
    • Pregnant? Need Help?
    • Religious Education >
      • First Communion Pictures 2020
      • RE Handbook
      • Religious Education Volunteers
      • Confirmation 2015
      • Confirmation 2016
      • Confirmation 2018
      • Confirmation 2019
      • For Parents
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Respect Life >
      • Why We March
      • Elizabeth Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Communications
    • RCIA
    • Parish Outreach
    • Music and Liturgy >
      • Choir >
        • 3 J's and the Flock
      • Altar Servers
    • Health Apostolate >
      • Homebound Ministry
    • Knights of Columbus
  • News
    • Diocesan Appeal
    • Bulletin
    • Flocknotes
    • Daily Readings
    • Links
    • Diocese of Rockford
  • Prayer
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    • Offer a Mass

October 3, 2015

10/3/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dear St. Pat’s family,  
 
The first reading for this Sunday’s liturgy is from the second chapter of Genesis.  This is the second account of creation; the first one is found in chapter one.  This book makes use of a language with which we are not familiar, and rightly so, because it was written hundreds of years before Christ.  Certainly it made sense for the first audience.  Despite the unique language, however, we need to make an extra effort to grasp the teaching. We know that the narrative’s goal is to give an account of God’s creation. I would like to pay particular attention to the creation of humanity.

In chapter two, after God created the first human being, he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a suitable partner for him.”  And in seeking a suitable partner, God brought into existence all of the other living creatures: wild animals, birds of the air, etc.  After creating all of the animals, God noticed that none of them would be a suitable partner for the man.  He knew that He needed to create another human being to be the companion for the first man.  

The reading continues by saying that God cast the man into a deep sleep.  While he was sleeping, God took out of him a rib and built it into a woman.  After the first human being woke up, he immediately recognized the woman to be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh.

As ancient as this creation narrative from Genesis is, we can learn the following: from the beginning, God made us human beings; there is something essential which makes us different from animals; we are made to live in communion with each other and not alone.    
      
Certainly all of the other living creatures are part of God’s creation, just like we are.  It is very clear from Genesis, however, that we human beings were not the product of evolution.  We were not animals and then human beings.  From the beginning, we have been human beings, distinctive from all other creatures.  What makes us distinctive from animals is our soul and our capacity to discern one’s actions through the will and intellect.  Animals act out of instinct; we act out of reason.
God bless you all.      
                                                                 Fr. Lopez

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Rev. Johnson Lopez

    Father Lopez is Pastor of Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Rochelle, IL.

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Annunciation
    Christmas
    Epiphany
    Holy Spirit
    Mary

    Picture

    Archives

    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    RSS Feed

    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Sacraments >
      • Eucharist
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Vocations
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Staff
    • History
    • Registration
    • Stewardship >
      • Why give?
    • Parish Boundaries
    • Cemetery
  • Calendar
    • Parish Calendar
    • Liturgical Roles
    • Religious Education
    • Liturgical Calendar
    • Holy Days of Obligation
  • Ministries
    • Pregnant? Need Help?
    • Religious Education >
      • First Communion Pictures 2020
      • RE Handbook
      • Religious Education Volunteers
      • Confirmation 2015
      • Confirmation 2016
      • Confirmation 2018
      • Confirmation 2019
      • For Parents
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Respect Life >
      • Why We March
      • Elizabeth Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Communications
    • RCIA
    • Parish Outreach
    • Music and Liturgy >
      • Choir >
        • 3 J's and the Flock
      • Altar Servers
    • Health Apostolate >
      • Homebound Ministry
    • Knights of Columbus
  • News
    • Diocesan Appeal
    • Bulletin
    • Flocknotes
    • Daily Readings
    • Links
    • Diocese of Rockford
  • Prayer
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    • Offer a Mass