Feb 13 - Weekday in Ordinary Time

+ We have very profound readings today at mass.

We begin to read now of the events of “fallen mankind” after the sin of Adam and Eve. The offspring of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, in their attempt at giving to God what was his due: thanksgiving for what was among the first crops of the land, and raising of animals to serve man’s needs, they ran into the first of the effects of the sin of their parents: envy, jealousy, pride – and since apparently Abel’s sacrifice to the Lord was somehow more pleasing to God – which was God’s prerogative to judge so – murder was cataloged as the first grave sin against the newly set-up human scenario for planet earth.

And Cain slew his brother Abel – out of rivalry, jealousy and envy – and anger at God for choosing Abel gift over his own.

The rest as we say is history: it is the history of fraternal rivalry, bickering, envy, jealousy and yes, even sometimes, murder.

The result was that the murderous Cain is banned from the soil, to become a restless wanderer on the earth. This, in part, explains an inherent restlessness in the hearts and souls of a great many people on the earth, even today.

Now, to prevent others from killing Cain on sight, the Lord puts a mark on his—a protective sign. And he is protected he is not killed.

Ages later, the “sign from heaven” that the Pharisees seek has already been given in the Incarnation. The flesh of Christ in our midst is the sign that saves us from our murderous ways.

And to carry this a step farther: we, ourselves, because of our baptisms, and incorporation into the Mystical Body of Christ, are the visible manifestation of Christ’s body on earth today: our lives, our countenances, our actions, our words need to reflect that fact: so that the tide of murderous activity, the tide of anger, and chaos, and miscontent can have some hope of being reversed:

the Incarnation of Christ is carried on in us – may we, strengthened by the Holy Communion we will receive – make a difference in the world today – if only with the people God places here and now in our midst.

Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, and good works!