REFLECTIONS TODAY
There is a proverb which states, “There are none so blind as those who won’t see.” Another proverb runs, “The hardest to awaken is the person who pretends to be asleep.” If one’s mind is set on one direction, it will be almost impossible to convince him of something different. Such is the frame of mind of the Pharisees on Jesus. He has spoken with authority against what they regard as the tradition of the elders on which depends their own authority. So, they close their mind on Jesus. When they approach him and ask for a sign from heaven, they are asking God to step in and confirm Jesus’ credibility. A spectacular sign would then enable them to place their faith in Jesus. But is this so? Jesus knows that they are only testing him to undermine his authority and hopefully to completely discredit him before the people. Jesus has already done much before the leaders of Israel, like curing the paralytic and driving out demons. He has miraculously fed the people. Now, the Pharisees are still asking for a sign! Jesus can only give a sigh and say, “Bye, I’ve got to catch a boat!” Jesus refuses to play by their own rules, to dance to their own tune.
First Reading • Gn 4:1-15, 25
The man had relations with 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. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil. In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the soil, while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen. So the Lord said to Cain: “Why are you so resentful and crestfallen? If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.”
Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord asked Cain, Where is your brother Abel? He answered, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord then said: “What have you done! Listen: your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil! Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. If you till the ground, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord: “My punishment is too great to bear. Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight.” “Not so!” the Lord said to him. “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.” So the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.
Adam again had relations with his wife, and gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. “God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel,” she said, “because Cain slew him.”
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 50
“Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.”
Gospel • Mk 8:11-13
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.