Cain and Abel - Moving From God's Rejection to God's Forgiveness, Provision and Compassion - Part 1

Last fall, I was chosen to participate in the Religion, Spirituality and the Arts Seminar sponsored by Butler University's Center for Faith and Vocation in partnership with Christian Theological Seminary. Rabbi Sandy Sasso, retired from Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis, directed the six-week seminar that included three other faculty who presented the following perspectives on the story of Cain and Abel: Cain and Abel in literature and poetry, in the visual arts and in music.

The story of Cain and Abel is recorded in the fourth chapter of Genesis, verses 1-16. God judged Cain's harvest less than Abel's offering of a lamb. Cain was jealous, and killed his brother. Using
the Jewish practice of Midrash to interpret the story,  (http://learn.conservativeyeshiva.org/introduction-to-rabbinic-midrash-O-introduction-midrash-in-3-steps/), we examined the central question, "Why did God reject Cain's offering?" Was it because of the content of the offering or did it have to do with the character of the brothers.? Both Christian and Jewish scholars have wrestled with this question for centuries with no definite answer.

Four Words to Understand Cain and Abel

My time with this story led me to these words - forgiveness, compassion, protection and provision. I believe God forgave Cain and from that forgiveness flowed God's compassion, protection and provision. God's compassion was clear for Cain, for God gave Cain a purpose and direction following the murder. God told Cain that he was banished from the place where he lived and would forever be a wanderer (verse 12). God's provision and protection for Cain continues in verse 15 where God places a mark on Cain so that no harm will come to him. Some interpret the "mark" as a letter that God engraved on Cain's forehead. Others believe Cain was given a dog to protect him.

There is great hope in the story of Cain and Abel, for the nature of God is revealed. We may not commit murder, but we do sin. When sin happens, we can come to God with a contrite heart, with the assurance God will grant forgiveness, wrap us in love and compassion, and guide us along paths of right living.

Study the Story

Take a moment and read the story of Cain and Abel. Read different translations if possible to see how different language can change meaning or perspective.

Here are a few questions to guide you:

       1. What type of work did Cain and Abel do?
       2. What did each bring to God as an offering?
       3. God predicted that Cain would sin in response to God's rejection (verse 7). How did Cain respond to God's rejection?
        4. How do you react to God's rejection of Cain's offering?
        5. What do we learn about the nature of God from the story?
        6. Have you ever been jealous of a sibling or friend? How do you react to these feelings? In what ways have you worked through the situation in which you felt jealous?
        7. How would you explain this story to a child?

Prayer: God, there are times when we experience injustice from another or from life circumstances. Jealousy can rob us of life, blocking or limiting our connection to you. Guide us through these difficult emotions that come, helping us see your light and companionship as we work through and explore the causes. Forgiveness helps us come to a place of peace in you. Amen.

Communion at the Episcopal Chapel in Chauauqua, New York - "Receive what you are: The Body of Christ."

The pews were full when I arrived so I took a seat in the last row. Growing up in the Episcopal church, I appreciated the opportunity to hear the familiar liturgy that sustained and nurtured me.

Every summer Mike and I spend a week at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York. Last year I decided to begin the week by attending the 8:15 am Monday morning communion service in the small Episcopal chapel on the grounds.

When it was time to receive communion, I joined the line that progressed to the front. I opened my hands and heard the priest say as he placed the bread, "Receive what you are ------- the body of Christ."

I carried these words in my heart back to the pew as the liturgy continued, ending with a benediction and blessing. After the service, I walked quickly along the cobblestone way, back to my room to collect materials I needed to teach my morning class still reflecting on words I'd never heard before receiving communion.

I am accustomed to hearing the pastor say, "The body of Christ, broken for you." These new words from the priest became a charge for my day, a focus for each moment, energized by beginning the day with communion.

Prayer: God, we are your body and our mission is to love and serve you wherever our day takes us. Open our hearts and sharpen our vision to become your body to those around us and to those we hold in our hearts, so we can bless others as you have blessed us. Amen.

"What Is Your Life's Theme?"

(Guest writer this week is my husband, Mike Reed, a retired United Methodist pastor.)


I have chosen the word "theme" in the title, but would agree that "mission," "purpose," or perhaps "goal," would also work as well. I suggest that everyone's life has a theme of some sort and that as we live out our lives, we live out that theme in various ways.

This idea came to me a number of years ago when I reflected on the words of my good friend, Greg McGarvey, a fellow pastor who maintains that all preachers have a theme that they come back to in different ways through their sermons. One parishioner, upon hearing Greg say that responded, "Yours is 'Get off your seat and do something.'" Greg said that he laughed and told the man he was right, not only about his preaching, but in how he lived.

That experience set me to thinking about the themes of my life and preaching and it did not take me long to identify. My theme comes from Genesis 12:1-3: "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you shall all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"

I summarize my theme by saying that we are blessed to be a blessing as God blesses us, so we can bless others. Our whole reason for being here, both as individuals and as communities of faith involves blessing others. Some may put this a bit differently, but with the same intent. "We should leave the earth and its people in better shape than we found them during our time here."

In my present position at the local Y.M.C.A., I work in the hospitality area where we welcome people and check them into the facility, as well as washing and folding towels for our guests to use while there. Often, when two of us are working and when we have both washers and dryers running with towels folded, I will take a cart to collect dirty towels from a couple of locker rooms.

A few weeks ago as I was making my rounds, the high school age custodian who usually collects the towels saw me loading the cart. He said, "You make working here easier." I thanked him while laughing to myself and saying, "You caught me - caught me trying to be a blessing in  a small way."

Being a blessing to bless others constitutes my Life Theme. I would urge you, if you have not done so, to consider the theme of your life. Begin by asking yourself what you are doing or could do to make a difference.

Evaluate what talents and gifts you have.

Pray for discernment to know what God wants you to do, as well as the kind of person God wants you to be.

Test what you observe about yourself in your words and actions.

Then, write your life theme some where you will see it on a regular basis. By living out your life theme, you will be following God's call in your life.

Kaleidoscope

(written June, 2015)

Kaleidoscope -an optical instrument in which pieces of glass held loosely at the end of a rotating tube are shown in continually changing symmetrical forms by reflection in two or more mirrors set at angles to each other.
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A kaleidoscope is one of those old-fashioned toys that bring joy just by being held and turned. The inside is filled with colorful glass pieces that make designs by turning the base. There is a definite sequence to use a kaleidoscope - holding, turning, shifting glass and beautiful design.

A kaleidoscope can be a metaphor for life. Most of the time we are holding steady in our daily routine. Sometimes we even classify our lives as mundane or use an expression I've heard recently, "same old, same old." In an instant though, like the turn of a kaleidoscope our lives can tumble and shift like the glass as we absorb our pain or the pain of others for whom we love and care.

Between Patterns

Since mid-March eleven friends have experienced serious illness, challenging circumstances or the loss of a spouse or relative. Interspersed with these difficulties of health, impaired relationships and death, my family celebrated our youngest daughter, Anna's, thirtieth birthday; rejoiced with our oldest daughter, Sarah's engagement. I put together with four other mothers a quilt for one of Anna's friends who is having a baby in July; picked strawberries twice; baked numerous batches of biscuits; swam at least twenty miles cumulative; celebrated a friend's daughter's First Communion; and appreciated several months of thoughtful sermons and communion.

When I turn the base of the kaleidoscope the glass pieces hang in an incomplete design between patterns. Pieces of hanging glass are indecisive; we don't know what new pattern will appear until the direction becomes known. That's how life is when our worlds are turned upside down. We are left dangling and hanging, wondering where "normal" is, wondering when life will resume familiar ways.

Light Always Seeps Through

Then I turn the base again - the dangling glass has found another spot in a new and colorful design. No matter how complex the pattern or how deep the glass hue, I've noticed light seeping through. Light reminds me that when we feel like we are dangling and out of sync, light is always present, .just like glass waiting for a new form. When the pattern falls into place, there is seemingly less light. Is that how life is - when we are broken and in many pieces there is more space for light to come through?

In John chapter eight verse twelve we read, "Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. 'I am the light of the world,' he said. 'Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.'" Jesus' words remind us that no matter what darkness is happening, the light of God brings love, hope, strength, and encouragement.

Seeing Light in Darkness

I am reminded of one of my favorite articles from the May/June, 1997, issue of Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life called "Baking Bread in the Dark and Other Acts of Courage," by Gerrit Scott Dawson. Three stories of courageous individuals are shared.

The one I like describes a woman who was widowed early in marriage leaving her to raise two little girls on her own. She worked in a furniture factory during the day, but baked sourdough bread at night to use as gifts to family and friends as well as to sell for extra income.

As she aged, she developed macular degeneration leaving her with only peripheral vision. Despite these limitations, she continued to bake bread as a symbol of her life. It communicated her resolve to take care of herself no matter what the circumstances as well as her desire to give a tangible sign of her love to others.

She mixes now from memory and touch. Raised bumps on the stove help her feel when the stove is on. In effect, she is baking in the dark, but she refuses to give up. Her courage to live despite extreme visual limitations comes from the light of God's presence that has sustained her through the years. The stars still shine at night outside her window and in the darkness she sees them in her mind.

Lifting the kaleidoscope that rests on my desk, I look through the narrow opening, admiring the colorful design, illuminated by light. I recall how baking and sharing biscuits for decades has helped me through my own stretches of darkness and enabled me to share compassion to those whose pain weighs heavy on my heart.

Prayer; God, there are so many ways you come to us and ways we come to you. Metaphor of our lives abound. You are in all. Let the light in us, join your light filling our hearts so we can care for others. Amen.

Communion Bread

Last week I received an email from one of the pastors of the church we attend asking me to bake five  loaves of bead for communion. Five loaves seemed overwhelming, so I agreed to two.

I hardly felt worthy to bake bread as I was dealing with anxiety, anger, frustration, loneliness, and confusion as well as forgiveness in the tangled web of my life. I was afraid all of my feelings would transfer to the dough I kneaded and molded.

Baking bread is usually one of the ways I connect with God. I even wrote a day-long retreat called  "Praying with Bread."

Today, however, I was in a different state of mind. I went through the motions, mechanically, not prayerfully or reverently, gathering and combining numerous ingredients, putting the smooth dough in my favorite brown glass bowl for the first rising. The bowl was the last of a nesting set we received forty-one years ago as a wedding gift. The bowl held hundreds of batches of dough, but today's was the first to become the body of Christ.

The dough quickly doubled in size. I took half from the bowl, powdered a handful of flour on the sticky places, molded a circle and placed in a buttered aluminum pan. I repeated the procedure with the remaining dough.

Before placing the pans in the oven, I studied the loaves. In those mounds of flour I saw the yeast of anger, loneliness, anxiety, resentment and other areas of disconnect in my life, along with forgiveness, blended into bread for God's people day morning. Oh my!!

As I slid the two pans in the over, I prayed that all negative feelings would bake out of me and go right to the heart of Jesus, whose body I formed a few moments ago.

 Sunday Morning

I walked into church the next day, leaving my loaves on the kitchen counter for the hostess to prepare. After greeting a few people, I entered the sanctuary, and found a pew close to the front in sight of  two oval forms of bread covered with embroidered white cloths resting in the middle of the altar.

I recalled the sugar, flour, yeast and milk that I  plucked from noisy grocery shelves days before now transformed into one of the most meaningful aspects of Christian liturgy in a quiet church on Sunday morning.

Then I recalled my prayer the day before as those loaves entered the oven. Sitting in the pew, I examined my heart and realized  that even before receiving communion,I felt peace. That negativity had burned away, my feelings now resting in Jesus' heart.

Mike and I assisted the pastors serving communion along the side aisles. I baked the body of Christ, I offered the body of Christ to those who came through my line and I experienced the peace from the body of Christ completely a holy cycle.

As we approach the fourth Sunday of Lent, I can't help thinking of the bread Jesus  served on that first Maundy Thursday to the disciples. Who baked the bread Jesus used that night? Maybe the person was someone like me, filled with anxiety, anger, loneliness and other troubling concerns? Maybe they felt that same sense of release and relief from baking the bread. Someone always prepares the bread to offer God's people - I pray each baker always finds release as they pass along, through the body of Christ, a blessing and peace to all who believe. Amen.

Staying Present

I started reading the Sunday edition of The New York Times when I was in sixth grade. At the time, my family lived in a rural Pennsylvania town about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. Many Sundays after church, we stopped at the "general store" where I purchased The New York Times for fifty cents along with a packet of five baseball cards and bubble gum for a nickel.

Reading the paper took most of the afternoon and connected me with vocabulary and thoughts that were beyond my provincial perspective.

Last Christmas, I received a year-long subscription to the Sunday Times which I still enjoy, from my daughter, Anna. I have my favorite sections and features, one of which is "Business." A column inside the front page, "Corner Office," is at the top of my list. Each week, male and female CEO's are interviewed. Many of them are women under 40 whose successful careers often began in start-up ventures.

The CEO's are often asked to give advice to others in the field or to recent college graduates. They also share questions used to interview potential employees - these can range from describing a person's background, what mistakes have taught them, a personal project and outcome, and what they like to do in their free time.

On Sunday, December 20, 2015, the "Corner Office" interviewed Melanie Whelan, CEO of SoulCycle. When asked to give career and life advice to college graduates, she shared the following"

"Be present in the present. Don't worry so much about where you're going. Just focus on where you are and do the best work you can. The next thing will come."

I liked her emphasis on staying in the present for that is all we have in any given moment.

Staying Present - Grounded in the Moment

Staying present is a basic principle of mindfulness meditation and can assist in staying grounded in
what is going on in the moment. Being focused in the present helps us respond more appropriately and effectively to the people or events before us.

I struggle to stay present. I'm not the only one - many people struggle to stay present because what is happening in life distracts us from the here and now.

"I have so much to do. I can't get focused," we often say. Our minds get "cluttered" in many ways; we think about what we need to do during the day when we are asked to be silent in church. Our thoughts wander to others - to those we love, those who bother us - and interrupt our lives in ways we do not choose.

Sometimes memories from the past, pleasant or unpleasant, intrude and make staying present a challenge.

Staying present or mindful helps us live in the fullness of each moment, so everyone benefits from fighting the intrusions and tendency to drift. Due to my challenges, I've developed a few effective strategies to re-direct my wayward mind back into the moment.

Six Ways to Stay Present

1. Name the thought or emotion that comes and take a deep breath. These two techniques help dissipate the energy unwanted thoughts or feelings can bring enabling me to respond to what is happening.

2. Maintain strong eye contact when talking to someone. Focusing on a person's eyes helps attend to what they are saying.

3. Engage your senses by asking yourself: What are five things I see .....five things I hear.....five things I taste......five things I feel/touch ....five things I smell.

4. Count your steps as you walk.

5. When walking in the neighborhood, at the mall or in a store, outline with your eyes the buildings, displays, houses, mailboxes, tree trunks and other items you see.

6. Pray through a color. Choose a color at the beginning of the day. Be aware of places where you see that color and let it be a reminder of God's presence. Offer a prayer: "God thank you for being with me today."

Staying present can require a lot of work - especially as you are building a new habit. Be encouraged, however, and try this practice in small steps. Some days will be easier than others, but keep working on it. You don't need to reach a level of perfection each day - as you work to stay present you are achieving the goal.

Staying present increases awareness that we live and move in God's presence. Stay present to people and your surroundings may lead to surprises you wouldn't have experienced otherwise - all involving God.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the variety of ways you reach us. Keep us alert -in the present, so we can always be attentive to your people and ourselves. Amen.

"The people are holding us up!"

Spending time with children brings me joy. My three young friends, Alex, Jake, and I'll call the third, Jane, all of whom are eight years old,  fill my home with laughter and fun.

They spend time in the backyard playing kickball or making a little town in the woods from sticks, rocks and dried leaves. They create artwork using chalk on the concrete garage floor or the sidewalk. Their favorite activity occurs in my kitchen when we bake. Baking is the center of our time together; the other activities evolve around this tasty task.

Sometimes Jane comes by herself, as she likes to sew and the boys prefer to be more active. When all three come at the same time, we often pack a picnic and walk to the small park in our housing addition.

Recently, I took Jane to the Indianapolis Museum of Art for her first visit. She enjoys art and had a picture she painted in the school district art show last spring. Touring the museum and seeing art from an eight-year-old perspective brought new vision to a place I've frequented for almost thirty years.

One exhibit, "Floor," by the Korean artist, Do-Ho-Suh, captivated Jane. "Floor" is made of several sections of thick glass plates. Sandwiched between the plates and the hardwood floor of the museum are hundreds of multi-colored, miniature figures. The palms of their hands touch the glass, "supporting" the weight of visitors who step on the display.

Jane ran all over the expansive glass, fascinated by the hundreds of tiny, plastic people. "The people are holding us up," she exclaimed.

"They sure are Jane," I replied.

Community Within A Church

Reflecting on our experience at the museum later in the day I realized "Floor" was an apt metaphor illustrating community - especially church community.

Acts chapter 2, verses 43-47,describes the nature of living in the Christian community:

         "Many miracles and wonders were being done through the apostles and everyone was filled with awe. All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed. Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved."

Although life among the believers today may not look exactly like the description in the book of Acts, there are similarities. Fundraisers are often held for those who are sick or to raise support for projects within the church. Groups meet in churches each Sunday to study God's Word. Small groups gather in homes for prayer and often choose a book to read and discuss. Caring for each other is also a focus of the small group.

When our daughters, Sarah and Anna, were born, the churches Mike was pastoring at the time were generous with their love and support. Each gave us a shower, filling our baby's room with clothes and equipment. We had two weeks of meals prepared each time. The church people "held us up" as we welcomed a new member to our family. Their support made our adjustment easier during those early days of new and expanded parenthood.

The church community does "hold us up" during times of celebration and through moments of need. Our family has been so blessed through the years with people in our churches who have "held us up" during moments of challenge and joy.

One day at the last church Mike served, he received a phone call from a seminary colleague pastoring a church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He told Mike about a young couple who lost twins at 23 weeks. He did the memorial service, but the family was moving to Fishers, and needed a church and pastor for the burial. Mike got the family's address as well as the day and time they planned to arrive at their new home.

In Mike's mid-week message to those in the church, he mentioned this family, overcome with grief, and relocating to a town where they knew no one. By the end of the day, people responded, offering meals, childcare for their toddler son, and other kindnesses. The grieving family was "held up" by the church community for many weeks after their arrival.

How can we "hold people up"?

How can we "hold each other up" during moments of celebration as well as during times of need? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Pray for each other - a simple prayer, "God I bring you _____," is appropriate for any circumstance.
2. Send a card or write a note - Cards can be read over and over propped on a desk or counter as a frequent reminder of another's care and thoughts.
3. Bake cookies, muffins or make a meal. These expressions of love from the kitchen are always helpful.
4. Some churches offer prayer shawls that are given to celebrate the birth of a baby or to offer comfort to those dealing with illness or other trying times. Another church gives "Pocket Prayer Quilts," to those who are sick. The tag that comes with this tiny quilt square says, "This Pocket Prayer Quilt was made especially for you to slip in a pocket or purse. Whenever your fingers touch the cross tucked inside, be mindful of God's love and grace for you. Keep it as a tangible symbol of God's peace. James 5:16 - "Pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed."

The Return Home

Jane and I concluded our day at the museum looking at the famous Robert Indiana LOVE sculpture located on the grounds where I took her picture. What a fitting way to end the day in front of a visual that corresponded so closely with Jane's comment about "Floor" - "The people are holding us up."

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for Jane's insight that fit so appropriately the nature of community that you have described and Jesus modeled. Guide us in ways we can "hold each other up" as we experience events in life that come our way. Amen.