The LORD God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and take care of it. Then LORD God gave the man this command, "You are free to eat of all the trees in the garden. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat; for, the day you eat of that, you are doomed to die." ... Then the snake said to the woman, "No! You will not die. God knows in fact that the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good from evil." (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:4-5, njb)

And ever since then, the descendants of Adam and Eve have been on a quest. The goal of the quest is, in fact, best expressed by the phrase "and you will be like gods". It seems a reasonable pursuit, to know the difference between good and evil, but it is really much more insidious. It is, in fact, wanting to be able to reason like God reasons, to be able to make decisions of life and death, not only for ourselves but for others. It is a quest well beyond "Know Yourself", an inscription from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. It is a never-ending quest to solve all problems. Science, especially since the late 19th century, has been obsessed with the quest to find an answer to everything. As long as one uses the scientific method, sooner or later the answer will come. Except it is not true. And even worse, the incessant pursuit of knowledge leads to anxiety and grief, when it becomes apparent that there are certain problems beyond the ken of mere mortals to solve. The supposed solutions which have later turned against us are numerous: in medicine, industry, social engineering, environmental modifications, politics, and war, for example.

Everyone has heard of the proverbial "opening of the can of worms." In my own personal quest to discover answers to the "big questions" of life, I have found that like the Hydra, each question I attempt to answer spawns several other questions. I feel exhausted after years of looking for that special book which I haven't found yet that will provide the key to unlocking the labyrinthine set of questions I have stored up. I honestly believe that I know less today of the distinction between good and evil than ever before. I take medicine the doctor recommends to make me feel better, but later find out about numerous side effects, and then encounter the curious fact that all sorts of problems arise when I need to discontinue the medication. I invest in the financial markets and later find out... (well, you know that one). I think I know the right side to be on concerning the major social issues of our day, but am later confronted with compelling evidence for the other side. I enjoy the "good" of certain foods, only to find out later how bad they are either for myself or the environment. I believed life was such a "" that it was to be extended at any cost, only later to see the devastating effects "modern medicine" can have on the body when prolonging life and the suffering it causes in dying persons. And I thought I knew what was good and what was bad.

Yet, it somehow goes against all of the education and knowledge I have acquired to throw my hands up and say, 'I give up." (Ecclesiastes can you hear me?!) And yet, that is exactly the only reasonable choice left to us. Why not cease beating our heads against the wall and try another way? Why not give up on our own devices and instead trust in God! That is easier said than done, of course. The world of 2012 has snares around every corner to put us back on the endless treadmill. And so, while the hamsters on the wheels of my brain still urge me forward to find the next "tree of knowledge", my heart prays for the guidance, grace, and inspiration to be able to find the peace that only the trust in the Lord can provide. After all, we are not saved by our knowledge; we are saved by faith in our God.

Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD, let us acclaim his name together. I seek the LORD and he answers me, frees me from all my fears. Fix your gaze on the LORD and your face will grow bright, you will never hang your head in shame. A pauper calls out and the LORD hears, saves him from all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them. Taste and see that the LORD is good. How blessed are those who take refuge in him. (Psalm 34:3-8)

Contributed by David
Monday February 6, 2012
Liturgical Year B: Week 11
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading:
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany