Daily Catholic Reflection: February 15, 2021, Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Genesis 4: 1-15,25;

Psalm 49: 1,8, 16-17,20-21;

Mark: 11-13 Full Readings

Saint Claude de la Colombière

 Am I my Brother's Keeper?

Yes, you and I are my brother's and sister's  keeper; it is one of the fundamental calling of human beings. Everyday and every hour we are invited to be each other's keeper and all the scripture teaches this. Instances like the parable of good Samaritan, rich man and Lazarus, and all miracles of Jesus teach us in one way or the other to be mindful of our brothers and sisters. Since we are social beings and interrelated with one another as well as depending on one another, the well being of the other is our well-being too. This automatically invites us to be each other's keeper.

This question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" was a response by Cain after God had asked him where his brother Abel was. Cain because of "jealousy" killed his brother Abel because God was more pleased with Abel's offering and less pleased with Cain's. Cain would not take it, and decided to kill his brother. Not only was Cain full of jealousy, but also, hatred, indifference, envy, harshness, hardness of heart, resentment, anger and all these yielded in the first murder recorded in the Bible and perhaps in the human history.

This story comes in Genesis 1-12, meaning it has a very fundamental message for us about the fundamental questions of humanity, and also especially on living with one another. The fact of life is we cannot all be equal, some will be higher in some aspects and some lower, we don't have the same chances, same situations, same expositions, same talents and so we cannot be equal. What this story teaches us is that we should not be jealous of one another, instead we should help one another and be each other's keeper to see that everyone attains what his or her heart desires. This must be accompanied by charity, that is, wishing the other well always. With this we will not act like Pharisees, who had hardness of heart, and were asking from Jesus a sign.

Jesus in the Gospel refuses to give a sign to the Pharisees. In other Gospels, he only says the sign of Jonah, pointing to his spending of three days in the tomb and rising on the third day as it happened to Jonah, but here, he refuses to give any sign. Jesus' miracles and deeds were enough to show that the kingdom of God had come and only a soft heart would believe. A sign given by Jesus was a sign of charity and compassion he showed to everyone; an invitation for us to live in charity.

With charity, there will be no case like Cain among us. This is a perfect community and a sign that we are living in the kingdom of God. Reflect today on the attitude towards others. Do you feel grateful to God as your neighbor goes up or envy and hatred fills your heart? Pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to inspire you to accept and appreciate others for their success and become each other's keeper. 

Let us Pray

Inflame our hearts Lord with the fire of love and brotherhood, which dispels all jealousy, envy, hatred from our hearts so that we can always live as brother's and sister's keeper. Amen

Be blessed.