Mediation

 

Genesis chapter one carefully details the order of the cosmos with intentional literary structures imbedded within its narrative. Two structures are immediately clear: the linear structure (slide 2) and the forming/filling structure (slide 3). A chiastic structure is less obvious however, except that the First, Fourth and Seventh Day all share a single theme, hinting at chiasmus: light.

The narrative begins with light shining from God on the First Day. A firmament is then stretched out between heaven and earth on the Second (dividing God's dwelling from man's dwelling) and on the Third Day, the seas are given as the sacramental waters of baptism and the Eucharistic Plants (fruit trees for wine and grain for bread) burst forth out of the ground. The Fourth Day gives an indication to the pinnacle of the chiastic form: there are new light bearers in the heavens; the sun, moon and stars. These light bearers are a symbol of the saints and angels who become givers of light to the world just as God did on the First Day.

+

From this point, the Light Bearers begin their work and the same symbols echo back in reverse order with their liturgical purposes emphasized. The Fifth Day shows "glory clouds of creatures" (flocks of birds, schools of fish) descending like the Spirit upon the raw items of the Holy Mysteries created on the Third Day (birds in trees, fish in the sea), symbolically deifying their use in liturgy. The Sixth Day corresponds to the Second in the creation of mankind- Adam, the single point of mediation between earth and heaven- transcends the firmament separating the two, being God's own image on earth. Finally, the Seventh Day images the First, God coming to dwell with His creation on the Sabbath and Adam mediating for the creation in liturgy, God's light shining again on the Seventh Day as it had on the First.

With mediation as the central theme in the chiastic structure, the telos of mankind is clearly told: he is the mediator between the creation and God. He is to reveal the reason, beauty and goodness hidden in the untilled universe. He is to say "let there be light" in every place and see that the light is good.

+++

For reference, see the Creation Day symbol summary below and the Creation Days series for more details: