Tree of Knowledge

I love the Lectionary of the Catholic Church and the way the scholars put the scripture readings together. I mean really, let’s start off with the first reading of the season of Lent by taking us back to the place in time of the very first sin! Does that not just give you goosebumps?

So this Lent, we start at creation, when God formed each of us out of clay and then breathed life into us. It is such an amazing reminder of how we are this clay that God formed and continues to do so each day. Lent, is a specific time for us to really look inward to see where we might have gotten a little dirty or bent out of shape and then work with God to get back on track. Also the fact that God breathed life into us, is a super awesome reminder how God lives within us. AND that fact that if God hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t be alive since if you aren’t breathing, you aren’t living!!!

Plus, I love how this is the first reading we hear because it’s like God is saying, “hey, I know you have sinned, look at the first human I created…he sinned too!”. It’s comforting to know that when I screw up, I’m not alone and God still loves me.

Now of course this knowledge doesn’t mean that when I sin, I just go on with my life as though nothing happened. Part of the reason people turn away from God is because they are ashamed of the sin they committed and don’t want to tell God or anyone else that they sinned. Sin then becomes this thing that pushes God away. However, if you are still breathing, then God is still within you.

So imagine the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil lives inside of you. You have the ability to seek counsel from it at anytime, to help you determine what is the right or wrong thing to do. This tree is actually the Holy Spirit guiding you.

There will be times when you sin and want to hide the sin or cover up like Adam and Eve did, but you can’t hide your sin from God. The thing about God though, he isn’t gonna call you out on your sin, he wants you to own up to it, recognize it and admit it because this is how we become stronger and better so the next time we might be able to resist the temptation.

If any of you are like me, I’ve gotten a little dirty and bent out of shape. I need God to help me get cleaned up, I need to take ownership and responsibility for some of my bad behaviors or decisions and I need to seek forgiveness for my sins. Yes, God already sees them, but when I reveal them to him, then I won’t have these things stacked up in between myself and God. I’ll be able to rest in God’s grace and mercy without carrying around the weight of my sin and trying to conceal my sin from him.

Thank you Lord for the season of Lent. I pray ya’ll have a productive one!!!