Monday 18 February

Genesis 4:1-15, 25; Psalm 50; Mark 8:11-13

A sacrifice of praise

The Lord suggested to Cain that he was ill-disposed. An inference that we may take from this is that Abel made his sacrifice unreservedly to God whereas Cain presented his offering grudgingly. Envious and angry that Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God, and his was not, Cain killed him. We may not be killers. Perhaps we need to be reminded, though, that ‘before God’s court, even anger against another is a form of murder’ [Pope Francis, 17 October 2018]. A true sacrifice of praise cannot spring from an angry heart.