Genesis 3:1-8 / Mark 7:31-37
The darkest periods of the history of the world, or for that matter of fact, the darkest periods of the history of the Church was when human beings did not involve God in their affairs.
In World War I and World War II, where was God in human affairs?
In the period before the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, where was God in the Church affairs?
In the 1st reading, where was God in the darkest moment of the devil's temptation?
Surely God was around, but He was neither consulted nor was He asked to be involved in the conversation between the serpent and the woman.
In the darkness of the moment, Adam and Eve fell into sin, and that made them hide from God.
Sin opened their eyes, only to make them run and hide.
Whereas Jesus opened the ears and loosened the tongue of the man, as well as the eyes of the people to see that God has come to restore the goodness of His creation.
In fact, that was what God wanted to do for Adam and Eve when He walked in the garden in the cool of the day - He came as a friend; He came with love and forgiveness.
God will always walk with us in the moments of our temptations, and He wants to save us in the darkness of our sin.
Today is also WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SICK.
We must pray for the sick because in the darkness of their illness, their faith in God will also begin to waver and crumble.
May our prayer keep them united with God and the Church and may we remember to reach out to the sick with love and care.