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. They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
...And the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them
(Genesis 3:1-8, 21)
The story of original sin is much bigger than we can usually imagine. It's not simply a historical story about two humans (Adam and Eve) who give in to the temptation of power and control; it's an epic story of how all of humanity gives in to this power. It's an epic story of how all of us take an "upward fall," wanting to be gods of our own destiny, taking control of whatever is within our grasp. By doing so, we have fallen into sin by placing trust in ourselves more than God, thereby sealing our own destiny of the many deaths we suffer in a state of sin.
As I write this, we have just begun our Lenten journey. During that journey, Christians are invited into the practices and discipline of faith: penance, fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. But for many the discipline of Lent is arcane. We don't understand why we would do them in the first place, or we misunderstand the motivation for doing them.
Consider my favorite play on words that helps me understand and remember this season's emphasis on discipline and faith practice. In all of these practices, in all of our preparation, in all of our renewal, Lent really is all about reLENTing. When we reLENT we give up or surrender. During Lent we focus on reLENTing control to God. This isn't something we do out of obligation, or to become morally or spiritually superior, but to refocus us on who God is and who (whose) we are so that God can renew our lives for every season. ReLENT our need for control. ReLENT those things that lead us away from God. ReLENT all the ways we seek to be God.
But let's face it; reLENTing control doesn't come easy for humanity. Even in our most faithful moments we want to have knowledge of God's ways so that we may have some sense that there is some order in the midst of a chaotic world. We want to know what is good and what is evil. But our desire to understand God often stretches too far into the realm of being god. It becomes nearly impossible for us to truly understand our prayer, "THY will be done," trusting that God will provide and care for us in all circumstances. Original sin cuts to the core of our being.
But (and here's the rest of the word play for Lent) even in our failures as we practice reLENTing control to God, we will grow in faith because we will understand that God's love is unreLENTing. No matter how strong our desire to take control, no matter how far we run or where we hide, God keeps coming to us. God's love is unreLENTing. Even in the story from Genesis of original sin, God made clothes and clothed the very ones through whom sin entered the world. God's love is unreLENTing. In the suffering and death of Jesus Christ God gives it all up for us, so that we can be made right and have life with God. God's love is unreLENTing. God will not give up on you. Ever.
Into your hands, Almighty God, we place ourselves: our minds to know you, our hearts to love you, our wills to serve you, for we are yours. Guide us in our Lenten journey, that we may relent our control to your unrelenting love. Amen
Contributed by Pastor joel
Sunday February 17, 2008
Liturgical Year A Week 12
Sunday Gospel reading:
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany