The Face of Sin

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today include the episode of the temptation of Adam and Eve from the Book of Genesis. This passage is rich in opportunities to reflect on the nature of temptation and sin. Even though we usually do not consider the Serpent to be an attractive creature, we can find his argument to be attractive. The course of action he proposes seems to provide our ego with gratification and reward our cleverness. We are persuaded that this supposed transgression is not very serious. The consequence of the “knowledge of good and evil” is however quite severe. It is the tension and terror with which humanity lives. The creation and our Spirit tell us of a relationship that is marked by deep compassion, endless forgiveness and selfless unconditional love. This is not the usual experience in our daily lives. The psalmist today (Psalm 32) praises the joy of knowing the forgiveness of God for our transgressions. Christian tradition often features the prayer of Psalm 51 on Fridays, the day of Jesus crucifixion. This is a magnificent prayer of contrition and hope for forgiveness. The opening of the senses of the deaf man in the Gospel of Mark is an action in the liturgy of Baptism when as the sin of Adam dispelled from the baptized, the minister anoints the ears of the baptized to open them to continue to hear the Good News of the New Adam, Jesus.