Friends, welcome to Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Word on Fire is an

apostolate dedicated to the mission of evangelization using media both old and

new to share the faith on every continent and to facilitate an encounter with

Christ and His Church. The efforts of Word on Fire engage the culture and bring

the transformative power of God's Word where it is most needed. Today we invite

you to join Bishop Robert Barron as he preaches the gospel and shares the

warmth and light of Christ with each one of us.

Peace be with you. Friends, I'd like to begin today by looking at our first reading

from the book of Wisdom. It makes an extraordinarily important observation.

That's a both theological and philosophical significance and in light of that

I'm going to read our famous gospel about Zacchaeus but first the book of

Wisdom, listen to this, he's speaking to the Lord, for you love all things that

are and loath nothing that you've made. For what you hated you would not have

fashioned and how could a thing remain unless you willed it as I say there's a

so much packed into that little remark. Here's a question that's fundamental in

both the theological and spiritual orders. Namely, why does God create? It's

puzzle actually. God is God, supremely perfect, supremely happy in Himself. Why

does God create then something other than Himself? Why does He give rise to a

world? Well, it can't be out of need. I might make something or I might give

rise something out of a certain need that I have but God has no needs. The world

adds nothing to His greatness. It can't. So then why does He create? The answer of

the great tradition with its roots in the Bible is God creates not out of need

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