"Where are you," God asks Adam

Today we celebrate the feast of our Blessed Mother as Mother of the Church. Today's first reading, Gen 3: 9-15, 20, gives us the story of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God's command not to eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the Garden. After his disobedience, "the Lord God called to the man and asked him, 'Where are you?' [Adam] answered, 'I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.' Then [God] asked, 'Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I  had forbidden  you to eat?'"

"I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself."  How often do you and I not hide ourselves from God. Following a moment of disobeying the Spirit, we know that we have done wrong, feel ashamed, and, frequently, attempt to hide in shame of our wrongdoing!  Not only that, like Adam who blamed Eve and Eve who blamed the serpent, we look for someone or something to blame rather than accepting our responsibility upfront by saying "I sinned, Lord," or to another person confronting us "I'm guilty of what you are accusing me..

Note, too, that God came looking for Adam. God knew and cared! God also looks for us when we disobey, not to condemn us but to bring us to the truth, as the truth alone sets us free!  God desires our freedom. God wants us to come out of hiding!  We need our energy for doing good. Hiding zaps that energy!

Also, note that shame or feeling naked comes from doing wrong! It is not other people shaming us but the act of wrongdoing in itself shames us. The shame comes from within, not from without. What a gift put within us and calling us back to being upright with God, ourselves and others! Why? Because God loves us, redeems us and sanctifies us when we stray from the right path!

In Hot Pursuit!

In today's first reading, Ex 14: 5-18, the Egyptians regret having allowed the Israelites to leave their country.  "What have we done!  Why, have we released Israel from our service!"  Angry, they go in pursuit of the Israelites with full force:  "Pharaoh's whole army, his horses chariots and charioteers, caught u[ with them as they lay encamped..."  The Israelites see the Egyptians coming at them in to pursuit. Terrified and angry, they turn on Moses: "Were there no burial places in Egypt that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert? ....Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today." Through Moses, God parts the Red Sea and the Israelites pass through it on dry ground, while Egypt's whole army parishes in the middle of their attempts to cross over and return the Israelites to being their slaves!

How challenging it is for us to leave the "Egypts" of our lives--those environments or attitudes or behaviors or  people that enslave us to evil or deprive us of the freedom God desires for us.  When we resolve to do what is right, the evil one does not give up. He pursues us just as the Egyptians pursued the Israelites. Do we "stand our ground"  until we "see the victory the Lord will win" for those who are faithful to His commands, seek is help and long to see His face.