Word to the Wise
Monday, February 12, 2007 - Sixth Monday in Ordinary Time
[Genesis 4:1-15, 25 and Mark 8:11-13]Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out into the field." When they were in the field, 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?"
The fundamental life-lessons in Genesis continue this week and the one for today is powerful. It is the primordial story of what envy and resentment can do. We don't have to look far. The newsmedia have recently provided us with a tawdry example from the space program. Envy led one female astronaut to conspire to murder another female astronaut because of envy over one of the male astronauts! We might think this is the stuff of soap opera, but it can be lethal nonetheless. What makes Cain's sin even more profound is that he killed his own brother. Violence in a family can be terrible because the feelings are so strong and the vulnerability is so deep. The answer to Cain's resentful question/retort to the Lord is, "Yes we are all one another's keepers!" We must be or there is no hope for any human life. Failure to recognize this responsibility is at the root of abortion and capital punishment, war and euthanasia. There is a lot of blood crying to God from the soil. This goes beyond the taking of life, as well. All violence cries out to God! We should note that God does not exact a lethal punishment on Cain! Indeed, God protects Cain from violence. Our turbulent and violent world should take note! AMEN
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