November 30. Noah and his Family. Read Genesis 6-9. Another well-known and loved story is that of Noah and the Flood. Some time after creation God became so disappointed with the behaviour of his human creatures that he decided to destroy them all, except Noah who is described as the only righteous man of his day. We don’t know what made Noah and his family stand out in this way. Was he a good father or husband or honest in his business dealings? Did they have a strong relationship with God to keep them on track? How were things with Mrs Noah and their children? After describing the events, building the ark, stocking it with 2 of each type of animal, the rain and finally the water draining away, the story tells us that after the Flood, when God was starting over, he made a covenant agreement that he would be with them and never again destroy all humankind by means of water. The rainbow was a sign of this covenant, a sign of hope, a reminder to us, each time a rainbow appears. Ham, one of the sons rebelled and broke away from his family and Shem is listed as the father of the future generations. The rainbow remains a sign of hope but the extreme weather of recent times has brought hurricanes, typhoons and floods again in many places. What is that telling us?

Pope Francis. Access to safe drinking water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival. Ls30.

For reflection and sharing. How would we rate our family as a righteous one? Would God choose and use us as he used Noah? How strong is our faith, hope and our own covenant with God? Water has become a major concern at this time. How well do we care for God’s creation and save water?