This week begins the first exercise: "Most broadly, the First Week focuses on our experience of sin—personally, communally, and globally. Sin can be described in many ways: as a breakdown of a relationship with God and others; as a failure to love God, others, and self; as a turning away from God."
The Sin of Adam and Eve
Biblical scholarship has long held that the story of Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis is not history but a theological reflection by the people of Israel on the reality of good and evil. This story speaks a timeless truth known to all humanity: human beings, like the angels, enjoy the gift of freedom, yet we sometimes choose to abuse that freedom by trying to put ourselves at the center of creation and displacing God. This is the essence of original sin.
The Grace I Seek
I pray for the following grace: a healthy sense of shame and confusion before God as I consider the effects of sin in my life, my community, and my world.
Rats. Power went off partway through my writing of this piece. Construction across the hall in an old building makes things iffy.
Earlier today I said to my counselor, "well, and that just goes back to my own pathology." She called me up short and pointed out that 'pathology' was neither a kind nor useful word to use about myself. (Neurosis, maybe?) She was getting at the point that I am doing the best I can in the situation (Ken feeling so sick) and being mean to myself wasn't going to be of any help.
So maybe "a healthy sense of shame and confusion" makes more sense. ? Because as I look at it, the core thing is forgetting (being unwilling) to remember to say, "HELP HELP, O HELP, I cannot do this alone and I am trying to and it is getting me nowhere but twisted up..."
