Am I my brother’s keeper?

From Evangelium Vitae:

“Let us re-read together this biblical account which, despite its archaic structure and its extreme simplicity, has much to teach us.

“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 brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had not 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 crouching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it’.

“Cain said to Abel his brother, ?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 Abel your brother?’ He said, ?I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And the Lordsaid, ?What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying 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 shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth’. Cain said to the Lord, ?My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me this day away from the ground; and from your face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me’. Then the Lord said to him, ?Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold’. And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden” (Gen 4:2-16).”

John Paul II

Dear Loreto House Family,

It is important to take this Scripture to prayer.  Place yourself in the presence of the Lord and ask Him to pour out His Holy Spirit upon you and guide you to take to heart what He wishes to teach you.  Read through the Scripture once all the way through and then either try to place yourself in the Scripture or go line by line and pause when you feel the Holy Spirit moving you in a particular direction.

Some places to possibly dialogue with the Lord:

1.  Why was the Lord pleased with Abel’s offering more than Cain’s offering?  Lord, how can I please you? What do you desire of my heart?

2.  Cain acted in anger.  Where are places in my heart that are full of anger?  How am I responding to that anger?  Anger is actually an emotion that is  not evil, but we can be tempted to use our anger to act in sin.  How can anger be used in a more healthy way?

3.     Lord, am I my brother’s keeper?

4.    Lord, how has this first murder affected me?

I would invite all of  you to post your prayerful insights.  It is in community that we learn how to follow the Lord’s will.

In Christ Our Life,

Katherine