Abbey-Roads2

Photo, The Homeless.

Some thoughts on today’s readings from Mass and the preparation of Lent.

In preparation for Lent, the readings seem to follow the sequence of the readings for the Easter Vigil, tracing salvation history from Genesis on.  Today’s reading concerns the murder of Abel by Cain.

Growing up, the school sisters mostly emphasized the response of Cain to God after he murdered his brother, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” It seemed to me that is all they got out of this story, while maybe that is all I got out of it as well. 

Although today my heart turns once again to the recent story of the homeless paraplegic dumped on a Los Angeles street, crawling along in a soiled hospital gown, with his medications in a plastic bag, held between clenched teeth.  I can’t get by this story.

Don Marco of Vultus Christi (A blog I nominated for the Blog Awards) has his typically prayerful and insightful post on today’s reading, concerning the psychology of sin.

Sin

“God himself intervenes to save Cain from further sin. “The Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it’” (Gen 4:6-7). The whole psychology of sin is contained in these two verses. God reads the anger in Cain’s heart on his face and immediately offers him a way out of it. It is not too late for Cain to “do well.” God warns Cain of the sin that, like a wild beast, is couching at his door. Sin wants to devour Cain, but God tells him that he must “master it.” The taming of the beast! Master the beast of anger lest it overcome you and eat your heart!” - Sin Crouching at the Door.

My first impression is how even after the fall, God did not cease instructing Adam and Eve, and their offspring. In Teresian mystical terms, the ‘first family’ experienced intimate converse with the God they knew loved them.  They enjoyed His intimate companionship, evidently receiving visions, instructive locutions, etc.  (Is that correct all of you scriptural and mystical scholars?)

Hence, the Word instructed Cain on what was right and wrong, revealing to him that he could master sin.  I find this extraordinary, this seems to prove the case for the possibility of natural goodness of non-Christians.  Even after his curse, Cain enjoyed the protection and providence of God.  God is good and merciful.

The other aspect of this story is how the nuns would tell us that the descendants of Cain became the people of color, especially the negro.  (Good to know in Black History Month.)  That was an old interpretation of the mark the Lord put on Cain.  Anna Katherine Emmerich wrote as much in her “Revelations” - and I have friends who reference her in defense of their racism.

It makes me wonder if anyone but a few have properly understood the book of Genesis.  I’m certain I haven’t.

We are rsponsible for one another.

Through this arrogant response of Cain, “Am I my brother’s keeper”  the Word tells us yes, we all are.  The Incarnation and Redemption proclaims it for all eternity.  Yet we continue to dump people in the streets.  We walk by them, looking the other way, everyday.  Some of us may throw money or alms their way, maybe even pray for them, yet we insist they are not our responsibility - it’s not our fault they are less than ourselves.

Institutions, Government, the United Fund - we delegate the responsibility to them.  Someone else will take care of these people.  Employers dump people in the streets everyday, cutting benefits, reducing hours, withholding pay, terminating rather than dealing with errant employees.  Simply because of the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The responsorial psalm speaks to this:

“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.”

Thus we see, that our charitable donations are good, our donations are acceptable before the Lord - even better, our solidarity with the poor and the outcast.

“Why do you recite my statutes,

and profess my covenant with your mouth

though you hate discipline

and cast my words behind you?”

A society steeped in luxury and comfort, indulgence and selfish self seeking, cannot endure discipline, much less, the self-denial of charity.

“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 I am like yourself?”

It seems to me many people have tried to make God like themselves, or making themselves sort of a god.  So many justify their apathy, contempt and disregard for the weakest of our society.  The woman driving the hospital van, said she dumped the man because he had defecated in the van…she drove away justified.

Lent is approaching.  Many will diet and call it a fast.  Many will read more spiritual books or guides for the observance of lent, perhaps not without benefit.  Yet most daily activities will usually go on unchanged; dining out, uninterrupted entertainment, tropical vacations, - the greatest challenge being abstaining from meat on Fridays during the season of penance.  Few of us will sacrifice our convenience.

Mother Teresa often said, “Give until it hurts.”  That can be understood as, ‘give up your convenience’.  Embrace what is inconvenient - that could mean a homeless person holding a sign reading, “Will work for food.” at a freeway entrance.   It could also be as simple as accepting another person whom you dislike, and showing kindness and respect, instead of contempt or scorn.  Lent is about a conversion of heart, the conversion of manners, not a series of diets, or giving up cigarettes for one’s health.  All of that is self love.  Penance and sacrifice means a turning from oneself towards God and our brother, because we are our brother’s keeper.   I’ve rarely noticed anyone becoming a better person after their heroic sacrifice of chocolate during Lent.

“My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.” - Psalm 51