Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1339345
11 DENVER CATHOLIC | FEBRUARY 2021 It is entirely unnecessary, but also not just a random accident. It was – it is – a precise, thoughtful, intentional life that we can live because God chose for us to live it. He chose to create. God, infinite and perfect in and of himself, did not need to create anything. He's in want of nothing. God does not need the sun so he can see, or food to eat so he can have energy, or eight hours of sleep in a pitch dark, 68-degree room so he can function in the morning. He needs none of those things that we rely on. Nor did he need you and I, with our failures and flaws and doubts and dumb decisions. And yet here is that sun and here I am staring at it, with my children staring at it too. Creation, and all of life itself, is a remarkable gift, and we would do well to ponder the beauti- ful reality that God created not out of necessity, but out of abundant, unfettered, generous love. He wanted to do it. As simplistic and childish as it may sound – God wanted to share. He wanted light to shine and a chill to nip through the air. He wanted giraffes with their long necks and purple tongues and elephants with their giant feet and tiny tails to wander the plains. He wanted sunrises and sunsets to color the sky, fluffy clouds peppered throughout the brilliant blue background. He wanted food to fill our stomachs, music to ring through our ears, the smell of fresh baked cookies to waft through the house, a warm blanket to wrap around our shoulders. God spoke the words, "Let there be…" and things came into being. Something, from noth- ing, save for his voice into the literal darkness. The first few chapters of Genesis tell us this story of the God who created, who spoke things $1,000,000 in emergency funds to our parishes 36 schools teaching in-person Increased support to Catholic Charities $170,000 in additional teacher support Continued Seminarian Formation 20 20 BECAUSE OF YOU WE MET OUR 2020 GOAL! Your generosity allowed the Archdiocese to go above and beyond to serve others and share the Gospel in a difficult year. Creation, and all of life itself, is a remarkable gift, and we would do well to ponder the beautiful reality that God created not out of necessity, but out of abundant, unfettered, generous love." ⊲