Monday of week 6 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Genesis 4:1-15,25
“The Lord asked Cain, Why are you angry and downcast? If you are well disposed, ought you not to lift up your head? But if you are ill disposed, is not sin at the door like a crouching beast hungering for you, which you must master?’” The Lord did not look with favour on Cain’s offering because he brought “some” of the produce of the soil. The Lord looked with favour on Abel’s offering because he brought the first-born of his flock. The offering of the former were insignificant ones. But the offering of the latter were significant ones. Then without recognizing his fault, he became angry, and the Lord asked the above question. Why are you angry and downcast? This happens a lot in our life also. We are responsible for our failure but without accepting the responsibility we become angry and moody. This is what the Lord calls as predisposition for sin. When we don’t accept our fault and become angry at others, we are ill disposed. What happens then? The Lord explains, in that moment the “sin is at the door like a crouching beast hungering for you”. The ill disposition opens the door of your heart for the sins. The anger and bad mood take control of the entire person. That’s the Lord warns, “you must master that”. We must master the ill disposition by accepting our fault and by following the good example of others. Let’s reflect: Do I go into a bad mood when I am angry, or I master the situation by accepting my faults?