Word to the Wise
Friday, February 12, 2021 - Friday in the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 3:1-8 and Mark 7:31-37]"Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?" The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat or even touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman: "You certainly will not die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil." [Genesis]
Some of us are old enough to remember the comedian Flip Wilson (the younger among us can find him on YouTube) and his routine when he dresses up as a woman named Geraldine. She has a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. But Geraldine is not very good at listening to the angel. And her usual response to anyone who challenges her naughty actions is: "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO THAT." How many of us have sought refuge in that excuse?
There are a number of nuances in this story that should come to our attention. First of all, the woman may be the one talking to the serpent, but we are told that the husband was with her and he took a bite of the forbidden fruit as well. We don't hear of any protest from him at all. Any interpretation that ascribes all the blame on the woman for "the Fall" is simply distortion. Second, we learn that free will is present from the beginning of creation. The man and woman could choose to violate God's command. The Fall is not the result of temptation but the result of a choice. Choices have consequences, and this lesson is often learned the hard way. The expression, "Then the eyes of both of them were opened...." means the consequences have come to bear and they learn what it means to feel guilty! They try to hide from God!! How many of us know THAT experience?
The story is divided between Friday and Saturday, so there is more to come. For now, we can reflect on Geraldine's claim and realize that the devil does not MAKE us do anything. AMEN