of creation. God created the heavens, the earth, and all of mankind in a plan of perfect love, so that we could be united to him. The plan of salvation that culminated in the Resurrection began with the creation of the world. Thus, our first prophecy is the story of creation from the book of Genesis (pages 15-17) . We begin with one of the most iconic verses in the Bible: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The Catechism of the Catholic Church published by Pope John Paul II begins, “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.” God created heaven, earth, light, darkness, thesky, dry land, plants, the sun, the moon, all the stars, birds, fish, all manners of creatures, and finally mankind, created in his own image, to be stewards of his creation. After each day of creation, God saw that his creation was good. God commanded mankind to “increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Thus begins our salvation.





After each prophecy is a collect, preceded by Flectamus genua / Levate like the Solemn Collects of Good Friday. The collect following the first prophecy begins, “O God, who hast wonderfully created man, and more wonderfully restored him,” quoting the prayer said at the Offertory of the Mass when the priest mixes the wine and water. Mankind was created in the image of God, designed to