Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
By Beth DeCristofaro
So the LORD said to Cain: "Why are you so resentful and crestfallen. If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master." … Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:6-7, 9)
(Jesus) sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." (Matthew 8:12)
Piety
Lord, help me see the ways I'm too self-centered this week. Help me notice the needs of those you place in my life. Stretch my heart to love more today. (Creighton University)
Study
In the Children’s Illustrated Bible that my family owned when I was little, there was a picture of Cain and Abel that always made me unhappy. It showed Cain, heavily bearded and wearing cave-man style furs fuming beside an altar from which black smoke trickled down toward the ground. Clearly he was upset that God had rejected his offering. On the other page was Abel. He was dressed in white, shepherd-like robes, his shining eyes and face lifted to the heavens and his hands raised in prayer next to the billowing white smoke which rose into the sunshine. Not fair! Why would God be mean to Cain? Cain’s face scared me and the thought of God randomly choosing to hurt someone frightened me even more.
Cain’s story still bothers me. But my understanding of it has changed through reading and reflecting on Cain’s own words. God tries to let Cain know that Cain has an opportunity to reject temptation. Later, when God asks Cain about Abel, the question itself is simple enough, "Where is your brother Abel?” However, Cain lies to God in pride, guilt, anger and fear: "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" He rejects God’s gift of life. He rejects the community that is family. He rejects the kingship of God. God put humans together on the earth because love is relational and is manifest by service to, caring for one another. We are granted the potential to recreate the love God gives to us through creation itself.
Contrast that with the pleas for help by the deaf man and the Greek woman in Gospel readings last week. They said to Jesus in essence: “We bow before your authority and plead for life and healing.” Cain will not bow: Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear. Since you have now banished me from the soil and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight." (Genesis 4:14). He gives in to the demon at the door in his rage and casts-off relationship with the divine. Cain chooses to turn his back on God. I can still pity him but understand now that, rather than describing God’s capriciousness, this story is about humanity’s refusal to accept culpability, seek reconciliation and to trust in God’s mercy.
I can almost hear God sigh from the depths of his spirit, watching Cain stomp away in self-righteous anger and fear. God loved Cain and did not want this first of sons to turn away. Jesus echoes this sigh as the Pharisees reject him in their arrogance and pride.
Action
Abel praised God in thanksgiving for the life of the crops he grew and the lifeblood in his own veins. God marked but did not allow Cain to be killed for murder. Consider writing to your Governor Tim Kaine and other elected officials to assert the pro-life stance which rejects the death penalty. Virginia is scheduled to execute a prisoner on February 19.
In a press release last week, “The bishops of Florida have asked Governor Charlie Crist to ‘set a new standard of decency" for the state by doing away with the death penalty. Set a new standard of decency for the State of Florida,’ the bishops appealed, ‘by abandoning executions and commuting death row sentences to life in prison without possibility of parole.’ The bishops are not endorsing that ‘We should let people go free, but that they are being punished by being put in prison for the rest of their life.’ A spokesperson noted that there have been several cases of death row inmates who have been found innocent. ‘We have to ask ourselves if we are killing an innocent person. That would be a terrible tragedy.’
The letter of the bishops' conference did not affirm (inmate) W. Tompkin's innocence, but rather asked that Crist ‘replace the violence of death by execution with life long imprisonment in the penal system as a way to protect society and ensure punishment for offenders.’ (Tompkins was executed February 11)
‘We pray for healing for (Tompkin’s victim) Lisa DeCarr’s family and friends who have suffered the pain of losing their loved one. No punishment, no matter how severe, can ever erase the grief caused by her wrongful death,’ the prelates added.” http://www.zenit.org/article-25066?l=english
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