And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. (Genesis 4:15b)

Each of us is marked in many ways, each carrying multiple identifiers. Our names identify us with a specific family and heritage. Our addresses identify us with certain neighborhoods and ways of life. Titles such as mom, dad, Mister, Ms., Doctor, Reverend identify certain roles that we hold and sometimes relationships of which we are a part. The license plates on our cars identify us as living in certain states. We choose our clothing, our hair styles, the marks of our outward appearance with the knowledge this too may identify us in some way. Of course none of these things represents our full identity.

In Genesis 4 after Cain kills his brother Abel and is accused by God, Cain becomes scared that the punishment for his actions will be death. In an act of mercy God tells Cain that this would not be so. Cain’s life would not be easy. Having taken his brother's life, Cain’s own life would always be painful and out of balance-a hand to mouth existence in which he would never have a place to call home. But the consequences of Cain’s action would not be death.

"And the LORD put a Mark on Cain…" We have little idea what kind of a mark this might have been. What we do know is that it is a sign of God's mercy. A mark that would identify Cain both as a sinner and as one to whom God shows mercy. We are marked in such a way as well. Our mark is the sign of the cross. It too is a sign that reminds us of our sin but also of God's tremendous mercy for all of God's people. It is a mark that reminds us of our primary identity-forgiven children of God-and that witnesses God's mercy and love in a broken world.

Contributed by Kristen
Monday March 4, 2013
Liturgical Year C: Week 14
Liturgical Color: Purple
Sunday Gospel reading:
Third Sunday in Lent