Signs in Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to look deeper into the events of our daily lives for the moments of grace wherein we connect with enlightenment about our situation in our relationships with God and others.

A place for signs of light

In the passage from Genesis, Cain appears to misunderstand the guidance he received from the Lord.

* [4:7] You will be accepted: the text is extraordinarily condensed and unclear. “You will be accepted” is a paraphrase of one Hebrew word, “lifting.” God gives a friendly warning to Cain that his right conduct will bring “lifting,” which could refer to acceptance (lifting) of his future offerings or of himself (as in the Hebrew idiom “lifting of the face”) or lifting up of his head in honor (cf. note on 40:13), whereas wicked conduct will make him vulnerable to sin, which is personified as a force ready to attack. In any case, Cain has the ability to do the right thing. Lies in wait: sin is personified as a power that “lies in wait” (Heb. robes) at a place. In Mesopotamian religion, a related word (rabisu) refers to a malevolent god who attacks human beings in particular places like roofs or canals.1 

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus pushes the Pharisees to consider that their Demand for a Sign may be a consequence of their hardness of heart toward the witness of Jesus.

* [8:11–12] The objection of the Pharisees that Jesus’ miracles are unsatisfactory for proving the arrival of God’s kingdom is comparable to the request of the crowd for a sign in Jn 6:30–31. Jesus’ response shows that a sign originating in human demand will not be provided; cf. Nm 14:11, 22.2 

Tom Lenz concludes that it’s an evidence-based, reductionistic world and we are trained from kindergarten to adulthood that evidence rules. But, that answer somehow feels incomplete. He is dissatisfied with the notion that evidence-based reductionism is the answer to all of our questions. And, therein lies the beauty in Jesus’ words.

 I see this Gospel reading as, yet again, a message of faith and trust. The people who lived at the time of Jesus were fortunate because they could personally witness the amazing signs that he was giving – like feeding the four thousand. But we, too, are fortunate because we can read the stories and imagine ourselves in the crowd seeing, listening, and being part of the experience. For us, that means faith and trust. We can feel God living within us in our daily lives, and we know how great that feels. We don’t have evidence to prove it, and we don’t need any – because we can feel it. My prayer for us is that we all can feel the grace, joy, and happiness that God wants for us and brings into our lives today.3

Don Schwager quotes “Why does this generation seek a sign,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"But for what sign from heaven were they asking? Maybe that he should hold back the sun, or curb the moon, or bring down thunderbolts, or change the direction of the wind, or something like that?... In Pharaoh's time there was an enemy from whom deliverance was needed (Exodus 3-15). But for one who comes among friends, there should be no need of such signs." (excerpt from GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW, HOMILY 53.3)4 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 4:1-15, 25 notes that we also see God make a promise to Cain. He offers him the strength to turn away from anger and jealousy. He is ready to help Cain “master” the sin that is tempting him (Genesis 4:7).

Right now, imagine yourself in this scene. Imagine God is calling your name as he called out to Cain. You might hear him asking you a question similar to the one he asked Cain: Why are you resentful? Why are you dwelling on this temptation? As you consider how to answer, be assured that God is patiently waiting for you to ask for his help. He is offering you an exchange: your anger for divine strength. Your jealousy for healing. Your resentment for a changed heart.5 

Friar Jude Winkler connects the details in Genesis to the environment of conflict between Israelite shepherds and Canaanite farmers. The story of Cain and Abel teaches us to accept what God has given us, accept our humanity. Friar Jude reminds that even as we want absolute analytic proof, faith is act of trust to believe in what is beyond belief.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, suggests that the first Incarnation was the moment described in Genesis 1, when God joined in unity with the physical universe and became the light inside of everything. He quotes John 1:1-5.

If you can overlook how John uses a masculine pronoun to describe something that is clearly beyond gender, you can see that he is giving us a sacred cosmology and not just a theology (see John 1:1-18). Long before Jesus’ personal Incarnation, Christ was deeply embedded in all things—as all things! The first lines of the Bible say that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” or the “formless void,” and immediately the material universe became fully visible in its depths and meaning (Genesis 1:1-3). The Christ Mystery is the New Testament’s attempt to name this visibility or see-ability that occurred on the first day. 

Fr Richard shares his belief that Jesus Christ can even enable us to see as God sees. That sign is not hoping for too much.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Genesis/4:1
2	(n.d.). Mark chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/mark/8:11
3	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved February 18, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). 6th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/02/18
6	(2019, February 17). Daily Meditations Archives — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/02