The story of creation in Genesis is beautiful and stirring. The astronauts on Apollo 8 in 1968 read these verses as the circled the moon. But we know that scientifically they cannot be literally true. The earth took billions of years to create and evolved slowly. But it is absolutely true that God is the Author of creation and that everything God created is good. Whatever evil we find in the world is the creation of human beings, not God. We also are inspired to care for the beauty of God's creation.

Many people heard of the miracles that Jesus had performed, and they were consumed with both desperation and hope. They carried all their sick to where Jesus was, hoping that they could even touch the hem of his robe as he passed. He brought healing and hope to many. Today we see so many desperate people - refugees, as well as victims of violence, disease, and natural disasters. There are so many, and it is so overwhelming. What can we do? We can start wherever we are, bringing hope and comfort to the suffering and desperate in whatever way we can. That is what Jesus did, and as his disciples, that is what we must do.