The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to the conflict between our desire for self aggrandizement and satisfaction of desires and exercise of the gifts of the Spirit through our Baptism as priest, prophet and leader.
The reading from Genesis describes the First Sin and Its Punishment.
* [3:1] Cunning: there is a play on the words for “naked” (2:25) and “cunning/wise” (Heb. ‘arum). The couple seek to be “wise” but end up knowing that they are “naked.”
* [3:5] Like gods, who know: or “like God who knows.”
* [3:8] The breezy time of the day: lit., “the wind of the day.” Probably shortly before sunset. (Genesis, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 32 praises the Joy of Forgiveness.
* [Psalm 32] An individual thanksgiving and the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (cf. Ps 6). The opening declaration—the forgiven are blessed (Ps 32:1–2)—arises from the psalmist’s own experience. At one time the psalmist was stubborn and closed, a victim of sin’s power (Ps 32:3–4), and then became open to the forgiving God (Ps 32:5–7). Sin here, as often in the Bible, is not only the personal act of rebellion against God but also the consequences of that act—frustration and waning of vitality. Having been rescued, the psalmist can teach others the joys of justice and the folly of sin (Ps 32:8–11). (Psalms, PSALM 32 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus Cures a Deaf Man.
* [7:36] The more they proclaimed it: the same verb proclaim attributed here to the crowd in relation to the miracles of Jesus is elsewhere used in Mark for the preaching of the gospel on the part of Jesus, of his disciples, and of the Christian community (Mk 1:14; 13:10; 14:9). Implied in the action of the crowd is a recognition of the salvific mission of Jesus; see note on Mt 11:5–6. (Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Carol Zuegner has often heard: ”Let go and let God”. But that’s hard sometimes. God asks that we try. St. Ignatius has a prayer that fits this theme.
Suspice (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
My memory, my understanding and my entire will.
All I have and call my own,
You have given to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me. (Zuegner, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The touch of the Lord,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD)
"That power which may not be handled came down and clothed itself in members that may be touched, that the desperate may draw near to him, that in touching his humanity they may discern his divinity. For that speechless man the Lord healed with the fingers of his body. He put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue. At that moment with fingers that may be touched, he touched the Godhead that may not be touched. Immediately this loosed the string of his tongue (Mark 7:32-37), and opened the clogged doors of his ears. For the very architect of the body itself and artificer of all flesh had come personally to him, and with his gentle voice tenderly opened up his obstructed ears. Then his mouth, which had been so closed up that it could not give birth to a word, gave birth to praise him who made its barrenness fruitful. The One who immediately had given to Adam speech without teaching, gave speech to him so that he could speak easily a language that is learned only with difficulty (Genesis 1:27-28). (excerpt from HOMILY ON OUR LORD 10.3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 3:1-8 comments that we know what God has forbidden us to do, and we also know that these restrictions are for our own good. The Lord isn’t arbitrary; he sets boundaries for us because he loves us and wants to protect us from the negative consequences of certain actions. Yet like the man and the woman in today’s first reading, sometimes we choose to rely on our own judgment of what seems “pleasing to the eyes, and desirable” (Genesis 3:6). Often it’s only after we’ve transgressed God’s commandment that we realize what a mistake we’ve made!
Like the serpent, many voices in the world today try to convince us that we can determine for ourselves what is good or evil, what is permitted or not permitted. Let’s choose instead to listen to the voice of the One who loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine. God has only good in mind for you. Trust him to lead you in the way you should go, even when you’re tempted to eat that forbidden fruit!
“Lord, thank you for giving me boundaries that keep me safe and close to you!” (Meditation on Genesis 3:1-8, 2025)
Friar Jude Winkler connects the serpent in Genesis to the defeat of the Moabites by David at the time this passage was written. The cleverness of the temptation and the denial of severe consequences is the technique to which Eve and Adam fall victim and hide from anthropomorphic God in the Garden. Friar Jude notes the use of the healing power of bodily fluids and the acceptance of Jesus by pagans even as the Pharisees and Sadducees reject Him.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces theologian Beverly Lanzetta who writes of the universal nature of mystical longing.
In religious traditions, the word “mysticism” refers to a direct experience of Divine Presence, and to the highest levels of union with Divine Mystery. It also includes the human longing for the ultimate, and the path the soul follows toward intimacy with God. It implies that the mystical quest is intrinsic to human nature—that our souls are constituted to turn toward the divine light as a plant turns toward the sun…. The impetus of one’s entire being never rests until it rests in God. This internal movement toward divine communion—rather than our daily distraction—is the essence of spirituality. When our hearts are diverted from the quest for meaning and love, we suffer. When we experience the true longing of the soul, seeking union with the divine—we know the meaning of life itself and are illuminated by the light of peace. (Rohr, n.d.)
We reflect on the “opening of the ears and tongue” in our Baptismal liturgy and invoke the guidance of the Spirit on our journey as we hear Good News and share it with the people in our environment.
References
Genesis, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/3?1
Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7?31
Meditation on Genesis 3:1-8. (2025, February 14). The Word Among Us. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/02/14/1203598/
Psalms, PSALM 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/32?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Mystical Path. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-mystical-path/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Has Done All Things Well. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=feb14
Zuegner, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/021425.html
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