6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)
Ps 50:1 & 8, 16bc-17, 20-21
Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
1st Reading: Gen 4:1-15, 25
Adam had intercourse with Eve his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to a child. She named him Cain, for she said, “I have got a man with help from Yahweh.“ She later gave birth to Abel, his brother. Abel was a shepherd and kept flocks, and Cain tilled the soil.
It happened after a time that Cain brought fruits of the soil as an offering to Yahweh. Abel for his part brought the firstborn of his flock, and some fat as well. Now Yahweh was well pleased with Abel and his offering, but towards Cain and his offering he showed no pleasure. This made Cain very angry and downcast.
Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry and downcast? If you do right, why do you not look up? But if you are not doing what is right, sin is lurking at the door. It is striving to get you, but you must control it.“
Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go to the fields.“ Once there, Cain turned on his brother Abel and killed him. Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is your brother, Abel?“ He answered, “I don’t know; am I my brother’s keeper?“
Yahweh asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now be cursed and driven from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood that your hand has shed. When you till the soil, it will no longer yield you its produce. You will be a fugitive wandering on the earth.“
Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. See! Today you drive me from this land. I must hide from you and be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth, and it will so happen that whoever meets me will kill me.“ Yahweh said to him, “Well then, whoever kills Cain, will suffer vengeance seven times.“ And Yahweh put a mark on Cain to prevent anyone who met him from killing him.
Adam again had intercourse with his wife and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth; for she said, “Yahweh has given me another child in place of Abel since Cain killed him.“ To Seth also a son was born and he called him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh.
Gospel: Mk 8:11-13
The Pharisees came and started to argue with Jesus. Hoping to embarrass him, they asked for some heavenly sign. Then his spirit was moved. He gave a deep sigh and said, “Why do the people of this present time ask for a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this people.“ Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side of the lake.
REFLECTION:
“The Justice of God“
The story of Cain and Abel reveal to us the great mystery of God’s justice. When Cain kills his brother Abel, God confronts Cain with his sin. The gravity of the sin of Cain has cosmic repercussions. Even the earth rebels against the deed! Sin, all sin, cry for Divine retribution! No one can hide sin from the all-knowing God!
As Yahweh pronounces the punishment due to Cain–a fugitive–Cain cries out for mercy. He begs that his miserable life may not be taken by others. God, the most just, is also the most merciful and so decreed that He would avenge Cain should he be killed! Divine justice condemns sin; Divine justice punishes the sinner; Divine justice prohibits human vengeance. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay“ says the Lord! (Rom 12:19)
This revelation of the “justice of God“ should be our guide also in our administration of justice. In particular we can see in this biblical narrative God’s original penal code: No to “capital punishment.“ It often happens that cries for justice easily turn out to be cries for vengeance. How easily an angry man can arrogate to himself the Divine prerogative and thus commit the same crime he condemns!
Daily Reflection
Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.
CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.
Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
