Word to the Wise
Friday, February 10, 2023 - Thursday in the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 2:18-25 and Mark 7:24-30]The serpent asked the woman, "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 it 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]
FEBRUARY 9, 2023 ST. SCHOLASTICA, virgin
The dialogue between Eve and the serpent is not ancient history. It is the voice of temptation that we all experience when we deny wise authority and assert our independence. We rationalize it by attributing false motivation to the authority or we simply say, "Nobody is going to tell ME what I can or can't do!" The broader vision of Genesis in accounting for the existence of evil and suffering in the world reaches down to each of us daily!
Choices have consequences and our choices may have consequences that extend far beyond our individual pride in asserting ourselves. Political policies, health care, career, entertainment....the range is enormous! The divine gift of free is both a stewardship and a two-edged sword! In one scene, we see the power of persuasion and manipulation which we call "temptation" and the exercise of choice based on that persuasion and manipulation. The voice of wisdom and authority seems arbitrary and restrictive in that light.
The sheer volume of reflection - manifested in writing and art - on the scene of the serpent and Eve - is beyond this space. I can only challenge myself and the reader to pay attention to the "voices" and "lights" that compete for our "free will." The consequences of the decision made in the scene from Genesis are with us daily. But we do not have to repeat the same decision. We cannot blame our first parents for our continued failures. The wisdom of Genesis and the scriptures speak to us. We can choose to listen and obey or not. Either way, there will be consequences. AMEN