ALPHA AND OMEGA, DAY SIX: GENESIS 5

Today, our text for reflection focuses on a more detailed account of the descendants of Adam. Apart from Cain, Abel, Seth and others whom we have encountered in previous texts, some other descendants, from different generations are given.

REFLECTION

• The first thing we must note, as I have tried to indicate in the previous reflection, is that the inspired author of this text does not seek to give an accurate account of human history. Rather, he seeks to establish how God abides and operates in human history. 

• The text takes us back to the creation of the first human being by God. From speaking of Adam, an individual (…he made him), the author immediately ends up talking about male and female (…he created them; he blessed them). According to the author, God called both the male and female “Adam” (man/human beings). Thus, in this text, the name Adam is used in both its generic and individualistic sense. We must therefore note that both males and females are created in the image and likeness of God. None is superior to the other. Have we felt superior or inferior to others because of our gender?

• Adam is said to have given birth to a son in his likeness. Thus, God’s nature which he bestowed on our first parents was passed on to future generations. Thus, even now, we who are living are still in the image and likeness of God. If God’s nature was passed on from our first parents to their descendants, how difficult is it to understand that the consequence of their sin was also passed on to all other human beings?

• From the text, we see that the span of our ancestors’ life was lengthy. Even though the ages given may not be actual what the author makes us aware that our ancestors lived longer, though they died in the end.

• Also, from the text, we can see that the ages kept falling and falling with the movement from one generation to the other. Does it have any significance for us? Yes. What it means is that as time goes on, the length of days of the human person diminished more and more due to the increase in grave sins. What do we see in our own days? Are people not dying at tender ages? Do we not see greater and more serious sins being committed here and there? Let’s take a clue: Deut 30:19-20

TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR: THE WORST SINNER BECOMES THE GREATEST APOSTLE (1 Tim 1:12-32)

When we Catholics, come together for worship, we usually begin with calling to mind our sinfulness. Examination of conscience and acknowledgment of sin is part and parcel of our daily prayer and devotions. Now some Christians of the I’m-okay-you’re-okay school of spirituality raise the issue that constant consciousness of one’s sinfulness could lead to low self-image and self-hate. Some people are so preoccupied with the sins they committed in the past, or the sinful habits they have in the present, that they become spiritually immobilized and morose, no longer able to celebrate life. This is unfortunate. Awareness of our sinfulness, when done in the right spirit, is a most healthy and empowering spiritual exercise. In today’s second reading from his First Letter to Timothy, Paul accuses himself to be the chief of sinners: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15). Awareness of his sinfulness did not lead Paul to low self-esteem or depression. It led him to a vibrant life of gratitude and praise to God, and humility toward God and neighbour in his ministry.

Paul starts off with a joyful hymn of praise and thanksgiving: “I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service” (verse 12). Because he knows he is a sinner, Paul is able to see anything good in his life not as a personal achievement but as the grace of God at work in him. For this he gives God continual thanks and praise. People who are not aware of their sinfulness tend to think that the good things in their lives are a result of their personal goodness and holiness. Before they know it, they slip into a hypocritical better-than-thou attitude which makes them look with disdain on those who are not as good as they are. Jesus condemned this pharisaical hypocrisy more than any other sin because it is the highest form of spiritual self-deception. The more we realize our utter sinfulness as Paul does, the more we appreciate the amazing grace of God in our lives. Our lives then become, like Paul’s, a continual act of praise and thanksgiving to God who judges us faithful in spite of our unfaithfulness.

Awareness of our sins is just one side of the coin. Looking continually only at this one side is enough to depress anybody. But we should look also at the other side of the coin every time we call to mind our sins. This other side is God’s mercy and forgiveness: “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (verse 13). Jesus prayed for his killers saying that they did not know what they were doing (Luke 23:34). If those who killed the Son of God could be forgiven because they acted in ignorance, then every human sin could be forgiven because there is an element of ignorance that clouds our spiritual and moral insight at the moment of sin. Judas betrayed Jesus. When he became aware of his sins, he did not recall God’s mercy. So he gave in to despair and committed suicide. Peter also denied Jesus. When he became aware of his sins he recalled God’s infinite mercy. So he repented and became a saint. Awareness of our sinfulness must always include awareness of God’s mercy.

There is a saying of Jesus which Luke loves so much that he records it twice: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11; 18:14). Humility is indispensable in true Christian spirituality and nothing is more humbling than an awareness of our sins, the various ways in which we have failed God, our neighbour and ourselves. Humility makes us more effective channels of God’s love. Just as a recovered addict can minister more effectively to an active addict, so can a forgiven sinner minister more effectively to active sinners. Reflecting on his sinfulness and on how God continues to forgive and trust him, Paul can now tell his life story as “an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16). What God has done for me and in me, Paul would say to sinners, He can also do for you and in you. Maybe we can become better witnesses of God’s love in our world today when we see ourselves as forgiven sinners inviting other sinners to come on and received God’s forgiveness as we have done, rather than presenting ourselves as holy people trying to save poor sinners on the way to hell.

TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR: MERCY THAT TRIUMPHS OF JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS (Luke 15:1-32)

After going through the story of the Prodigal Son, a Sunday school teacher asked the kids, “At the end of the story who is it that ended up in the worst situation?” One of the kids shot up her hands and answered, “The fatted cow.” The animal-loving child was certainly correct, but the answer the teacher probably expected was “The elder son.”

There are three main characters in the Parable of the Prodigal Son: the father, the younger son, and the elder son. The younger son is a volatile, impatient, easily bored, ready-to-try-everything teenager. He collects his inheritance, goes abroad to see the world, and squanders his birthright in loose living. He represents every sinner. In sin we squander our human and divine birthright and in the end we are no better than in the beginning. Sin promises us a life of happiness, satisfaction and excitement but in the end all we get out of it is misery, wretchedness, dissatisfaction, depression, and a loss of the sense of personal dignity that belongs to us as God’s children. The good news is that no matter how deeply the sinner sinks into sin, there is always a still, silent inner voice within us inviting us to come back to our Father’s house where true freedom and satisfaction is to be found.

Then there is the father who is so loving that he lets his rascally son have whatever he wanted. In fact we can say he even spoils the boy. We have this image of God as a very stern, demanding father who is always ready to whip us into line. This is very far from the image of God we have in this parable. Here God is presented as a tender loving father who is easy on his children, and who is always ready to forgive, no matter what. If this is how God relates to us, then we can see that God possesses the tender-loving quality of mother as well as the tough-loving quality of father.

And finally there is the elder son who is introduced towards the end of the story. If you want to describe the elder son by one word you would call him a gentleman. He is a man of honour, solid, hard-working, consistent, disciplined, and sober — a perfect gentleman. In the elder son we see the virtues, as well as the vices, of middle class morality. What are the vices of middle class morality? Arrogance, better-than-thou attitude, intolerance toward those who do not meet up to our standards, insensitivity and a spirit of unforgiveness. The elder son exhibits these vices in the way he refuses to welcome his lost and found brother, his father’s explanation and invitation notwithstanding. He must have his pound of flesh. For him it is a matter of justice, but for God that is nothing but self-centeredness and unwillingness to forgive.

The first son syndrome is very much alive among us. Do you remember the execution on February 3, 1998 of Karla Faye Tucker. Karla was, to all appearances, a repentant murderer. At the moment of her execution there were two groups of people outside the Texas state prison in Huntsville: a group protesting her execution, who were there praying for her, and a group demanding her execution, who were there cheering and jeering as she was hanged. The praying group was calling for love and mercy and the cheering group was calling for justice. The parable of the Prodigal Son reminds us today that for God love and compassion takes precedence over blind justice.

We often confuse puritanism for Christianity. To be puritanical is to be scrupulously demanding in religious conduct and morals. For such a person the number one virtue is discipline. To be a Christian, on the other hand, is to profess and live according to the example and teaching of Christ. Here the primary virtue is love and compassion. As Christians we believe in a God of love and compassion. Jesus was a man of love of compassion both in his teachings and in his dealings with others. The challenge for us Christians today is to be people of love and compassion, to be like the prodigal father in the parable and not like the uncompromising elder son in a world full of prodigal sons and daughters.

ALPHA AND OMEGA SERIES, DAY 5: GENESIS 4:17-26

The text for today’s journey is an attempt by the biblical author to describe the expansion and civilization of the human race. It presupposes the existence of other human beings apart from Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel of whom we heard in our previous text.

REFLECTION

• From the text, the first question we can ask ourselves, as has been done by many others, is: where did Cain’s wife come from? The struggle in identifying when Cain’s wife was created indicates that the Bible, as the written Word of God, is not merely an accurate History Textbook. Rather, it is the inspired Word of God aimed at communicating divine truths. 

• The Bible seeks to demonstrate God’s constant presence in human history. Its ultimate concern therefore is not to present an accurate account of human history. So, any historical inconsistencies in the Scriptures must not be seen as negating the divine truths they reveal.

• Do we argue on events in the Bible, as if those events were recorded as and when they were happening, and even end up denying the saving truths they reveal? Let us note that the Bible is not a History Textbook. It conveys a spiritual message deeper than the writings themselves.

• In today’s text, the sin of Cain (murder) is again repeated by one of his descendants, Lamech; his reason being that of revenge. How do we react to the wrongs done against us by others? Do we pay back with even greater evils? Let’s always remember that we pray: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us?”

• No child is an accident. God has a purpose for every human being. The wife of Adam praised God for the gift of another child, because the child was seen as a replacement for Abel. What about us? Have we discovered the purpose for our existence? Let us ask God to enlighten us through his Spirit.

May the Lord bless and keep all of us, Amen.

ALPHA AND OMEGA (DAY 4): TEXT: GENESIS 4:1-6

Today, the text for our consideration describes the life of the human family after the fall and punishment of our first parents. It throws light on the awareness of human beings concerning God’s abounding love and goodness, and the ripple effects of sin.

REFLECTION

• The acknowledgment of God’s help by the woman in the gift of the new child shows that motherhood/fatherhood is a blessing bestowed by God. It is, therefore, not surprising to see how some couples, especially the women pray ceaselessly to God for a child. Let us remember to pray for those seeking the fruit of the womb.

• Also, if motherhood/fatherhood is a divine privilege, why do some people abort innocent children, all in the name of human rights? Let’s pray as well for those who promote abortion and those who practice it, that God will enlighten them.

• The text makes it clear that both Cain and Abel worked, and out of what they were blessed with, they offered something in appreciation to God. Are we people who love to do something to support ourselves, or do we act lazily, counting on others to do everything for us? Do we give collection, harvest contributions and tithes with a willing heart or we grumble?

• God looked with favour on Abel and his offering, even though Cain was the eldest of the two. Divine favour has no respect for age, or any other human standards. God blesses those he wants: those who do his will. Are you expecting a divine favour? Take a clue: do what is pleasing to God, and he will bless you.

• We must guard against envy; it is a deadly sin which can kill both the one being envied and the one who envies another. As presented in the text, Cain’s envy led him to physically kill his own brother, Abel. Meanwhile, Cain himself also suffered spiritual death: he lost the sense of brotherhood, and he was also punished by God.

• Sin begets sin. Once we encounter an occasion of sin, we must do our best to avoid it otherwise we’ll end up in greater sins, and their consequences. From being angry, Cain became envious and ended up killing his brother. We have power over sin because we can always choose to listen to the voice of God rather than the voice of the evil one.

• Again, we must realize that no matter the gravity of our sins, God is always a loving and merciful God. He had compassion on Cain, and he is always ready to welcome us back into his friendship.

May the Lord bless and keep all of us, Amen.

ALPHA AND OMEGA SERIES (DAY 3): GENESIS 3

The text for our reflection today gives us a picture of the fall of our first parents into sin, and the consequences that came with it. It must be noted that even though the text is rich in imagery, the various images must not be given literal interpretation. The imagery conveys a spiritual meaning which is deeper and more enriching than the images in themselves.

REFLECTION

• The imagery of the snake immediately brings to mind the devil. Are we to deny the existence of the devil/evil one, as some people do? Well, we must realize that there is enough evidence from Scripture to support the existence of the devil/evil one, cf. Acts 13:10, Eph 6:11, James 4:7, 1Jn 3:8.

• In fact, from the text, we can deduce that the basic and greatest sin of humanity isn’t fornication as most of us think. Rather, it is pride; i.e. the uncontrollable desire to be independent apart from God. Are we always submissive to God’s guidance?

• With the sin of our first parents, concupiscence, i.e. the inclination to act against the will of God has become part and parcel of human existence. We’re tempted when God’s commandments appear false and unprofitable to us, whereas disobedience of God’s commandments seem appealing to us. Nevertheless, such an attraction to disobey God would not be considered as a sin until we have actually disobeyed and acted against God.

• If faithfulness to a loving and merciful God isn’t reason enough for us to obey God, at least, the fear of the consequences associated with sin must guide us to choose to obey rather than disobey God. Do we realize what sin does to us?

• Guilt/shame always accompanies the state of sin. As the text shows, after rejecting God’s love and guidance (after sinning), we realize our nakedness, i.e. our nothingness without God.

• The text assures us that even in our sinfulness God still continues to show us his loving care. No sin of ours is greater than God’s mercy. We must therefore always seek to be reconciled with God when we realize our sins. Let us never be comfortable with sin. It is deadly!

May the Lord bless and keep all of us, Amen.

“ALPHA AND OMEGA” (DAY 2): TEXT: Genesis 2:5-25

Our text for reflection today presents us with another account of the creation, different from that of Genesis 1:1-2:4. However, we must not be led into thinking that Scripture is contradictory in this regard, since the two accounts are not the same. What we must note is that different authors were inspired by God to reveal divine truths to us, and in this case, the truth that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the world and all it contains.

REFLECTION

• From the text, we realize that without the breath of life (God’s Spirit), we are merely empty clayey vessels. We are truly alive when we are filled and moved by the Holy Spirit, cf. Jn 6:63, Ps 104:29-30. Do we pray to be filled and moved by the Holy Spirit? 

• God made provision for the man He created. He is Jehovah Jireh (God, our provider). He knows our needs even before we ask them, cf. Mt 6:8. Caring so much about our material needs is therefore a sign of faithlessness. Do we trust God for our needs?

• Again, in this text as in the former, human beings are entrusted with the care of God’s creation. How responsible are we in the duties entrusted to us at home, school, church, the work place, etc.? God created us to be responsible people; people of integrity.

• In the text, two specific trees are mentioned: the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life could be seen to be symbolic of the divine privilege of immortality. God not forbidding human beings to eat of the tree of life indicates that He created us to partake of His immortal nature.

• God, however, prevented human beings from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Not eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil means that what is good or evil is not determined by our individual thinking. God is the source of all goodness; He is goodness itself. To know the good and do it, we must take instruction from Him alone. We must therefore accept to be good what God teaches us to be good, and evil, what he prohibits (His commandments). Do we always seek God’s will or we do things according to our own feelings?

• God created a woman for the man and established a bond of companionship between them, by bringing the woman to the man. Friendship is therefore a gift from God, and must be utilized well. We must enter into friendship with a clear conscience and there will never be guilt or shame on our part. The ultimate expression of companionship is marriage; the union between a man and a woman. Let’s pray for those seeking marital partners, and mutual love for those already married.

“ALPHA AND OMEGA” SERIES. TEXT: Genesis 1:1-2:4 (DAY 1)

In today’s text, the author of Genesis presents us with an account of the creation of the world. Even though he presents God as creating day after day, it must be noted that with God there is no yesterday or tomorrow; to Him, our concept of past, present and future are all NOW. 
REFLECTION
• After an initial instance of chaos, God brought order into what he created and made it good. What do we do to improve situations at places that we find ourselves?

• After creating heaven and earth, God filled them with other wonderful things. He did not create the waters before creating the land; neither did He create the fishes before creating the seas. How systematic are we in our aspirations/ambitions?

• Every created thing/creature has a purpose for being created. Have we asked ourselves what the purpose of our existence is?

• Do we realize how special we are among God’s creatures; created in His image and likeness?

• How responsible are we towards our environment? God entrusted the care of the world and all it contains to us. How faithful have we been in this duty? Are we one of those who cut plants anyhow and litter everywhere without any shame?

• The author of Genesis presents God as resting. Rest is a divine recommendation for our own good. Workaholism contradicts our nature as people created in the image and likeness of God. After all, it is the Lord who blesses our work, cf. Ps 127:2

• God blessed the day of rest. We must have time to be with the Lord in worship in order to be made holy by Him.