Scripture:
Reflection:
You will be like gods!
Be opened!
Today we are reminded in the Old Testament book of Genesis, how cunning the enemy can be as he convinces us that we can be like gods. Satan (the serpent) was cunning in the days of our first parents, he’s been cunning in every generation since and he is cunning in our day as well. We should reflectively imagine how a small amount of doubt can totally cloud our judgement and drive us into poor decisions. It is definitely one of Satan’s favorite tools, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” Then we engage and the serpent continues, “You certainly will not die, you will become like gods.” Doubt-Darkness-Sin!
It is the same for us today, our sin is just as tempting, it is just as real and it is just as harmful. Human nature has not changed much through all the millennia of our existence and the pattern of sin is the same. First there is the temptation, that one thing that catches our eye, a handsome man, a beautiful women, a shiny object, an irresistible urge, then there is the doubt or justification that it can’t really be all the bad, surely I can enjoy this one little thing, just this one little time. I can be my own god even if for just an instant. Why do I need the Church, I can reason for myself, I’m not a bad person, I don’t need a Bishop, Priest or Deacon to tell me how I should live, act or die. Then there is the act, we submit to the temptation just as Eve does and we find ourselves naked, exposed for all to see and we run and hide.
It is a vicious cycle that will only end when we listen to Christ, anyone that has been part of the 12 step tradition will tell you that they could not break free of their addiction until they submitted to God, “help me Lord I cannot do this on my own.” We must draw closer to God, trust in His embrace and allow ourselves to be opened, allow Christ to open our ears and remove our speech impediment so that we may speak and hear with clarity drowning out the clatter of the evil one.
Deacon James Anderson is the Administrator at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.