Nothing Hidden

A Reflection on the First Reading for March 1st:
First Sunday of Lent

Genesis 2.7-9, 16-18, 25; 3.1-7

The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

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.

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Pause. Pray. 

And then read more...

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I recently learned some disheartening news that reminded me how any and every human being is capable of great good and great evil. It also led me to consider my potential and the past instances where I’ve damaged relationships.

Sin is “old news” in a way, but it can still come from unexpected places and catch us off guard. There is a surprising and deep sting when it originates from someone you trusted, admired, and deeply respected. In reaction to it, our emotions are complex: anger, shame, discouragement, sadness, disappointment, rage, numbness, blame, doubt, disbelief, loneliness. We may struggle to understand the situation and to discern our response, or we may ignore the situation and resort (consciously or subconsciously) to other coping mechanisms. When we are responsible, we may try to hide or cover up. When others are responsible, but we are implicated, we might hide our eyes, cover our ears, and seek distractions.

When I read the creation account, I sometimes laugh at the foolish way that Adam and Eve try to hide from God. I distance myself from the situation and I think about how, logically, no one can hide from God who is all seeing, knowing, and being. But then it gets a bit too real when I think about the many times I’ve tried to hide from, ignore, or avoid — whether it be prayer or conversations with others.

Confronting others when I have sinned is humiliating, in the truest sense of the word. I must acknowledge that I have fallen short of the goodness that God created me for. That I’ve not reflected His beauty and drawn others closer to Him — I may have even led some further away. That I’ve not lived in the truth that I was made to proclaim through my words and actions. Sin reveals my crisis of identity.
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Knowing this, as painful as it is, enables me to seek help and find freedom in the forgiveness that Christ offers. Today, I beg Him not to let me forget the beginning of the creation story, where the Father tenderly forms us from the earth and breathes His own Life into us. To always make me aware of my responsibility to strive to grow in holiness (oneness with Him) as I receive Him in the Eucharist each week. To encourage me with knowledge of His mercy and the graces that come from my baptism. To teach me how to model myself after Him and to love myself and others as He loves us.

Let us pray:
Father, please help me to surrender the pride and shame that accompany my sin, to know who You are and become who You made me to be, and to respond with wonder to the richness of Your love. Amen.




Kendra Lang

Photo by Carolina Heza on Unsplash

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