Day 3: Noah’s Ark
Key Event 4: The Flood (Genesis 6:1-9:17)
The flood brings the destruction of evil, but salvation for Noah and his family. The biblical symbolism of water bringing death and new life reappears in the crossing of the Red Sea and comes to its culmination in Baptism (see Rom 6:3-5; 1 Peter 3:20-21), by which we enter into Christ’s death and His risen life. The ark becomes a symbol of the Church.
Genesis 5:1-2 The genealogy of Adam and Eve reinforces the ESSENTIAL TRUTH that human dignity is directly rooted in the fact that both MEN AND WOMEN are created in God’s image. Moreover, the marital union of a husband and wife serves as a sacred bond through which God creates children made in his image and likeness. (CCC 1652, 1702-1705, 2201, 2249, 2331)
Ch 5:24 Walked with God: Enoch was a very holy man; this term connotes righteousness and virtue. (CCC 2569, 2853; cf. Sir 44:16; 49:14)
Ch 6:3-12 For he is flesh...upon the earth: “Flesh” refers to the physical component of human nature. The life, or spirit, that God breathes into the human being is the spiritual dimension of human nature called the SOUL. Because the soul is SPIRITUAL, it follows that it is IMMORTAL. The human body undergoes deterioration that ultimately leads to death-a consequence of the corruption caused by the sins of our first parents. Death, however, does not involve a termination of human life; rather, it is a SEPARATION of body and spirit. The body and soul will be REUNITED at the RESURRECTION on the last day. (CCC 990)
Ch 6:5 When an individual chooses to sin, he or she becomes more vulnerable to temptation, and even the ability to discern right from wrong is compromised. When the conscience becomes insensitive and hardened to the moral law, a person can be rendered all but incapable of choosing to perform good acts. (CCC 401)
Ch 6:13 Because the human race had become so corrupt, God decided to cleanse the world by a flood. Noah and his family would be saved in the Ark. The Flood and the Ark are TYPES (TYPOLOGY!!) of Baptism and the Church. The corruption of sin is washed away in the waters of Baptism, and those within the Church will be saved from sin and death; hence the Church is called the Barque (ship) of Peter. (CCC 1217-1219)
Psalm 136 God’s mercy and love endure forever as the psalm’s refrain indicates. God’s inexpressible love for the human race is reflected in the beauty and intricate intelligence of creation and in the lives of those who keep his Commandments. An intelligent order in creation is meant to serve the needs of the human person and to provide an indirect revelation of God’s love and power. The history of Israel is a testimony to God’s fidelity. This psalm recounts these mighty deeds of God in antiphonal form, ending in a flourish of thanksgiving for all he had done. (CCC 231)
(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)
(antiphonal means song, played, or recited by two alternate groups…..yeah I totally knew that ;)
Adam and Eve’s son Seth is important because there are 2 distinct threads of humanity: Seth and Cain
Ch 6: Seth’s line is referred to as the Sons of God; Cain’s line is referred to as the Daughters of Men
Walking With God: Seth is born in Adam’s image and likeness AKA Sons of God but Cain’s line produces murderers and polygamists like Lamech and these are the Nephilim (Hebrew: To Fall) Seth walked in the way of the Lord and Cain did not
Who you marry determines the trajectory of your life, your family’s life for good and for ill
Those who walked in the way of the lord stopped walking because they intermarried in Cain’s line
There are decisions that brought along great destruction as there are decisions that brought along great hope
When we cling to the cancer, we can’t destroy the cancer without destroying everything attached to it…..because Noah clinged to God, he lifted him up
We are broken but we can still choose like Noah as those who are fallen but still pursuing the Lord
Let God’s Word shape our view of His World
Prayer by Fr. Mike: "Father in Heaven thank you so much for giving us your Word. Thank you for not giving up on us. Especially Father, we thank you that you continue to speak to us even when we experience brokenness. You continue to reach out to us even in the midst of our mess and the mess of this world. We give you praise and we thank you for your Word and thank you for the way in which you continue to hold this world in existence. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen."
ANDREW'S PARALLELS
From the Line of Seth came the sons of God. From the line of Cain came the daughters of men. Eventually, the two came together in marriage, and the sons of God were becoming more and more like the daughters of men than vice versa. This is the first of many examples that prompts St. Paul to instruct us not to be mismated with non-believers.
Would you consider Noah's Ark as a type of the Church? The Early Fathers did. In fact, when Michelangelo painted his depiction of the Flood in the Sistine Chapel, his portrayal of the Ark looks very much like a church! Check out the details between Genesis and the New Testament along with an excerpt from St. Augustine of Hippo!