Monday of the
Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Genesis 4:1-15.25; Mark 8:11-13)
The man struggled with cancer. He wanted to live and dreaded the possibility
of cancer taking his life. “Why do you
favor others, Lord, and not me?” he surely asked himself. He was in a position much like Cain’s in
today’s first reading.
Cain resents the fact that God has rejected his offering
of fruit while accepting his brother Abel’s lamb. There is no indication that Cain somehow
shortchanged God with his sacrifice. Rather
God has spurned Cain’s fruit for an unknown reason. But this does not mean that God has rejected
Cain. God tells the indignant older
brother not to allow evil thoughts enter his head. Unfortunately, Cain rejects the advice. But even then God does not dismiss him
forever. Rather He pledges His
protection.
We must not let our troubles keep us from going to God. To the contrary, we should allow them like a
pulley to bring us closer to Him. Going to
God with our needs in prayer not only demonstrates the proper order of
existence – the Lord always first, then ourselves -- but also inclines us to
the One who can bless us in unimaginable ways.
