5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

She took some of its fruit and ate it.

How could Eve give in so easily to the serpent’s temptation? She had everything she could have ever wanted. She lived in a perfect environment. She even had a close relationship with God. Why would she throw it all away? Philosophers, theologians, and poets have been pondering this question for thousands of years and have offered countless possible answers. But in the end, we’ll probably never know exactly why the devil’s lies seemed so attractive to her.

Still, today’s story of our first parents’ fall can teach us how the devil uses the same tactics to try to lead us into sin. Notice how clever he is! He never comes right out and tells Eve what he is doing. He never even suggests that she eat the forbidden fruit! All he does is sow doubts about God’s goodness in her mind. He just convinces her that God wants to keep her from becoming powerful and wise. God doesn’t want any competition, Eve. He is lying to you just to keep you under his thumb. Convinced, she eats the fruit. And the rest is history—and a sad history at that.

Today is Friday. Why not spend a little time looking back over the past week with this passage in mind? Recall one or two times when you did something or said something that was especially wrong or hurtful, something sinful. Don’t look for every sin and failing. Just look closely at a couple of them so that you can learn from your mistakes. Can you identify how the devil was tempting you? How did he convince you to doubt God’s love and his ability to fulfill you? How did he convince you to decide for yourself what was good and what was evil?

But don’t stop there. If you haven’t already, confess these sins to the Lord, along with any others that you recall, and ask for his forgiveness. Just remember that God is rich in mercy. He wants to redeem you and lift you up, not hold you back. He sent his Son to set you free, not keep you bound in guilt. Our first parents fell because they didn’t trust in God’s love. You don’t have to make the same mistake!

“Father, teach me how to trust in you no matter how many lies the devil tells me.”

Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7
Mark 7:31-37
Genesis 3:1-8

WORD AMONG US