Sixteen-year old Madison, daughter of my friend Mary Gallardo, was given the assignment in her Hebrew Scripture class to rewrite the creation story. Madison and her partner decided to write their version in the spirit of the present season. With Madison’s permission, I share with you this morning, The Night Before Creation. It presents a beautiful image of God’s love and joy in His creation and offers a wonderful reflection as we continue to celebrate the Incarnation:
T’was the night before creation and all through land
Not a creature was stirring except for God’s hand.
The heavens were waiting high in the sky
In hopes that human beings would soon on earth lie.
God was excited, this he would not dread
Visions of waterfalls danced in his head.
He made female in her kerchief; And male in his cap
And on the 7th day he took a long winter’s nap.
God created space, and it made such a clatter
Things sprang from thin air, and thus there was matter.
Away to the horizon, the water flew like a flash
Formed basins and plateaus and did so in a dash.
The moon with the stars created such a glow
They gave of luster of mid day to objects below.
When what to God’s powerful eye should appear
A sun and some clouds and a calendar year.
Flowers and vegetation grew all around
Mighty trees swayed in the wind without any sound.
More rapid than rapids ideas came to be
And God whistled and shouted and created you and me.
“Now dinos, now kitties, now hippos, and puppies
Now dolphins, now starfish, now turtles, and guppies!”
He sprang back to the heavens with the angels all singing
He saw what he made and with joy he was swinging.
And I heard him exclaim as he flew without strife
“God’s blessings to all and to all a sacred life!”
God’s blessing to all and to all a sacred life!
Creo en Dios! 