Monday 13 February 2023

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Today is Monday the 13th of February, in the sixth week of Ordinary time.

Bifrost Arts sing, ‘O God Will You Restore Us?” As you listen, become aware of any areas in your life where you might need God’s restoration…

O God, will You restore us

And grant us Your salvation?

O God, will You restore us

And grant us Your salvation?

I will hear what God proclaims

The Lord our God proclaims peace

Kindness and truth shall meet

Justice and peace shall kiss

O God, will You restore us

And grant us Your salvation?

Here is the fast that I choose

To loosen the bonds of the oppressed and break their chains

Let righteousness and justice go out before you

Then You will call out and I will hear

O God, will You restore us

And grant us Your salvation?

Near indeed is His salvation to those who call on Him

He will incline His ear and hear their prayers

Truth shall spring out of the earth

And justice will rain down from heaven

O God, will You restore us

And grant us Your salvation?

The Lord will guide you on a righteous path

His vindication will shine down forth as the dawn

Your people will be called repairers of broken walls

Making straight the path to proclaim His reign

O God, will You restore us

And grant us Your salvation?

O God, will You restore us?

Please grant us Your salvation

Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis.

Genesis 4:1-15, 25

Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.’ Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. The LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.’

Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’ And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And the LORD said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.’

Where are there difficulties or tensions within my family?

I share with the Lord my thoughts and feelings about my family.

I share with Jesus my reactions to this passage.

I notice what the outcome of jealous anger and envy can be.

I listen for his response.

As I listen to the rest of the story, I think about what makes me angry or envious.

Cain said to the LORD, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.’ And the LORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him.

Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.’

As I come towards the end of this time of reflection, I ask for the gifts I need to help maintain good and loving relationships both with my family and with God’s family.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.