“Hoping to trap him, they asked for some heavenly sign.” (Mk 8:11)

“Hoping to trap him, they asked for some heavenly sign.” (Mk 8:11) 

Today’s Passages: Mk 8:11-13; Gen 4:1-15, 25

Meditation: Today’s first reading directly leads us to the primeval story of the spread of sin in the very beginning of the world. It began with Adam and Eve, the first parents, and now continues to the next generation of Cain and Abel. “God-rejecting man” slows grows toward “man-rejecting man.” Consequently, the question of God to man continues/changes from, “Where are you?” to “Where is your brother?” It is quite interesting to note its gradual development and turning!

The gap between God and man, and man and man has become more broadened. The way of his responding to God has also become worse now; it is no more fleeing and hiding from the God’s presence, rather it has grown up to lying and confronting his God. He is no more ready to surrender himself to his creator. Therefore, God warns him saying, “If you are not doing what is right, sin is lurking at the door. It is striving to get you, but you must overcome it.” (Gen 4:8)

Doing right is doing the will of God for he only knows what right ultimately is. Therefore, whenever we go against the will of God, then we are really approaching Satan who will misguide us by telling lies. He is crouching at the door hungry to get us. In his letter Peter says, “Be alert, be on the watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pt 5:8) How does it come to our lives? Or how do you we discern it?

One of the ways is being disclosed in the second reading. There we are once again reminded of Cain’s questioning and confronting nature in the Pharisees: “Hoping to trap him, they asked for some heavenly sign.” (Mk 8:11) Once you are away from God then cannot appreciate the heavenly things; if you cannot appreciate the heavenly things then of course you cannot appropriate them. It results in the rejection of God.

Usually we also pray with David, “Do not cast me out of your presence, nor take from me your spirit of holiness.” (Ps 51:11) Let us be humbly aware of the other side of the coin too. Actually, it is not that God is driving you out from the land as Cain said (Gen 4:14), rather God is forced to leave you and go to the other side of the lake (Mk 8:13) because of your disbelief and contempt. Therefore, let us be more aware of the sin that is lurking at our doors. 

             

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread. O God, many a time in my life I have made you keep away from me through my words and deeds. Though you wanted to give yourselves to us and be with us but we rejected you often. Have mercy on us sinners. Give us the grace to surrender ourselves to you completely. We ask for this grace through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Greetings: God is with you! Wish you a blissful Monday!