The First Mourning
Feb 13: Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The story of Genesis continues with the murder of Abel. But it starts with a sacrifice that’s not really a sacrifice. We also have the assumption that God should be doing all the work, which just isn’t so. He gave us free will, we should use it.
Reading 1
Gn 4:1-15, 25
The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.” Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.
In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil, while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen. 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 said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in 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 LORD then said: “What have you done! Listen: your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil! Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive
your brother’s blood from your hand. If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth.”
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.”
“Not so!” the LORD said to him. “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.” So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.
Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. “God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel,” she said, “because Cain slew him.”
Why did God reject Cain’s offering? Was it because He prefers meat to veggies?
Probably not.
The story specifically states that Abel brought “one of the best firstlings of his flock,” while Cain offered “fruit of the soil,” with no colorful adjectives. It seems to imply that Cain’s heart wasn’t really in it. He gave because he had to, but he didn’t God the best of what he had.
And what does God do in return? He offers encouragement. He tells Cain to try again next time. Instead of examining his own heart and actions, Cain turns his embarrassment and anger towards his brother.
There’s no self-reflection; Cain doesn’t consider what he could do better next time. God will forgive our sins and shortcomings, but we’ll never improve if we don’t think about how they happened int he first place.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 50:1 and 8, 16bc-17, 20-21
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.”
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
“You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother’s son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.”
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
God is pointing out hypocrisy here. Yes, your sacrifices are fine; He’s not complaining about the sacrifices. (Remember, in our case, the Mass is a regular sacrifice we participate in.)
He’s talking about all the other things we do, between sacrifices. You go to church on Sunday, then spread rumors about your brother, do you think God doesn’t notice?
“Spreading rumors” is obviously just an example; a Psalm can only be so long. In your case or mine, the weekday sinning may be something else. But whatever it is, God definitely notices.
Alleluia
Jn 14:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Both Cain and the “you” in the Psalm are pulling away from God. We can grow closer to Him through Jesus.
Gospel
Mk 8:11-13
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He 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.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.
Jesus has offered many signs up until this point. Why are the Pharisees demanding another one? Same reason the Israelites did, after God parted the Red Sea and rescued them from Pharoah.1 We want to deal with God our way, on our clock, on demand. But God isn’t Netflix.
It’s worse, when the Pharisees, like Cain, offer only the minimal amount according to the law, then demand something extraordinary and miraculous. What is that going to achieve? Do they really think they’re just one more miracle away from softening their hearts?
Do you?