God creates a woman as a suitable partner for the man, and they are in harmony with creation and one another.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 5th Week of the Year
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Tag Archives: Adam and Eve
Study, Pray, Serve: 27th Sunday of the Year
Here are some of the main themes in the readings for the 27th Sunday of the Year.
1st Reading – Genesis 2:18-24
- God makes different animals for the man (who gives them names) but none are a suitable partner.
- God casts a deep sleep on the man and fashions a woman from one of his ribs.
Psalm – 128:1-6
- “May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.”
- The man who follows the Lord is blessed in his family, with sufficient food and prosperity.
2nd Reading – Hebrews 2:9-11
- The passage reflects on the person of Jesus, who was “for a little while” made “lower than the angels” that he might taste death.
- Christ is the one through whom all things exist, and he made our salvation perfect through his suffering.
Gospel – Mark 10:2-16
- Jesus responds to a question from a Pharisee about divorce.
- Jesus then says, “Let the children come to me” when they were being prevented by the disciples.
Mass Readings – 27th Sunday of the Year
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Daily Mass: The creation of woman. Catholic Inspiration
The creation account continues in Genesis with a focus on God’s goodness and our need for relationships, particularly in the context of marriage. May the beauty of marriage inspire us to help all marriages foster and grow.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 5th Week of the Year
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1st Sunday of Lent: A tale of two temptations. Catholic Inspiration
The contrast between the temptation of Adam and Eve by the serpent and the three temptations of Jesus by Satan offers us some crucial insights into how we face the temptations in our lives today.
Mass Readings – 1st Sunday of Lent
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The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Catholic Inspiration
Mary’s acceptance of her part in the plan of Salvation History inspires us to say “Yes!” to God’s invitation to work in our lives today.
Mass Readings – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM
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Daily Mass: The beauty of creation. Catholic Inspiration
The creation of Eve reveals the beauty and goodness of God’s work, reminding us of our opportunity to take the good things we have received from God and offer them in service to one another.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 5th Week of the Year
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10th Sunday of the Year: Christ gives us the grace we need.
Study: Recall a time when you had to confront your sinfulness. What were the obstacles you faced?
Pray: Consider adding an Examination of Conscience to your daily prayer.
Serve: How can you extend mercy and forgiveness to others right now?
Mass Readings – 10th Sunday of the Year
There are a number of themes that surface in the Scripture readings this week:
- 1st Reading – Adam and Eve before the Lord in their sin; the Lord’s command to the serpent
- Psalm – “With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.”
- 2nd Reading – The spirit of faith sustains us in the challenges of life and guides us to Heaven
- Gospel – Jesus interacts with the scribes, his relatives and the disciples
Sin is real. While we do not live in a world that wants to call attention to the times when we choose something contrary to the will and commandment of God, we know by experience and observation that it happens everyday. What’s more, we often find ourselves hearing a thousand different excuses for the shortcomings and failures of those around us…offering every possible reason why:
- it’s not our fault
- it’s someone else’s fault
- it’s not really a big deal
- everyone else is doing it so I might as well
- it’s not a problem if you are not caught
and so it goes…
Yet what we find in the first reading is a clear acknowledgement of the sin of Adam and Eve through the temptation of the serpent. In their weakness our first parents fell from grace and transmitted original sin into the spiritual DNA of humanity. In our moments of humble insight we understand just how wounded we are and how easy it is to slip into behaviors that lead us away from God and one another.
The Lord, however, does not leave us in this plight alone. Rather, the Psalmist reminds us that the Lord extends mercy upon us, and St. Paul teaches that the spirit of faith empowers us to face the trials of this life with the gift of grace.
The source of this grace is found in Jesus Christ, who claims us as his family through our willingness to do the will of the Heavenly Father. In other words, God sends his Son to give us the help we need to return to Him!
Yes there is sin. But we draw near to the one who overcomes the power of sin and restores what was lost. May we call upon God for the grace we need to acknowledge our sins, accept the Lord’s mercy, and live in the light of Jesus Christ!
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Photo Credit: Son of God, 2014.
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1st Sunday of Lent: Facing our temptations
Study: When in life have you been profoundly tempted? What patterns do you notice in your life?
Pray: The temptations we face provide a special place in our prayers; bring them to the Lord!
Serve: How can you support others who are tempted so that they can face them with grace?
Mass Readings – 1st Sunday of Lent
We enter into the great season of Lent with classic readings about temptation, sin and God’s grace:
- 1st Reading – The temptation of Adam & Eve
- Psalm – “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”
- 2nd Reading – The sin of Adam is redeemed by Christ
- Gospel – The devil tempts Jesus…and fails
First, let me be perfectly clear: Temptation is a part of the landscape of human life. From the time of our first parents at the dawn of creation, humanity has experienced temptation. We can wish all we want, but the fact remains that we are constantly facing great and small temptations throughout the course of our lives.
What’s more, we have all experienced times when temptation has led us to sin. Being tempted is one thing; falling into sin is another. For once sin is a part of our lives, our souls are wounded in a way that requires God’s grace to cleanse and heal.
This awareness of temptation and sin can easily lead us to a state of despair. We can fall into the trap that says “Well, you messed up. What’s the point now? You might as well just give up.” Admittedly, the devil would like nothing better than to let us think that there is no hope…that we are lost and without strength to find our way out of the messes of life.
Yet we start our Lent with hope. Yes, we acknowledge that temptation and sin are real, but we take comfort that this is why Jesus Christ came – to break the bondage of sin, restore our relationships with God and one another, and lead us into eternal life. The Lord knew about temptation first hand, yet not only did he triumph over Satan’s testing, but he freed us through his death and resurrection.
In our moments of temptation and sin may we run to the Cross of Christ! As we encounter our own trials may we trust that the Lord stands ready to offer us help and strength – both to face what comes before us this day, and to heal us in our moments of need.
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Podcast Resources for a Powerful Lent
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