Friday 14 February 2025

5th week in Ordinary Time

Today is Friday the 14th of February, the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, in the 5th week of Ordinary Time.    Juliano Ravanello sings ‘Kyrie Eleison’. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.     Kyrie eleison  Christe eleison Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis.    Genesis 3:1-8  Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.  They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.    The passage for today tells of the fall of humanity. We will enter into the scripture scene imaginatively...     Place yourself in the garden. A place at the heart of God’s peace, and then the sudden tension when the serpent begins to speak.     “Did God say…?” Placing doubt in the woman’s heart. How do you respond to Eve’s struggle?     When Adam and Eve eat the fruit, what changes? How do you respond to their shame, their fear, and their instinct to hide not just from God but, in the fashioning of clothes, from each other?    Reflect on times when you have drawn away from God, or from those you are close to.    Surely God knows what they have done, yet God searches for them, nonetheless. Imagine God’s loving yet sorrowful voice: “Where are you?” How can you respond to His invitation to step out of hiding?    As this time of prayer comes to an end, share your thoughts, fears and prayers with confidence in God’s love and mercy.    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.