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1 - READ THE WORD
Hostility among brethren
“And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.”
Genesis 4:11
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2 - Reflect
The first case of this kind is documented in the Sacred Scriptures, in the story of Cain and Abel. Cain kills his brother and then reveals himself before God the Father stating that he should not be his brother's guardian, to which Our Lord responds that we must all be our brother's guardians and caretakers. But how much have we deviated from that path today so that we can be hostile towards our brothers?
Violence is part of man but he himself must learn to control and dominate it, otherwise it will have dark and devastating implications. The man who takes the life of another will also be nullifying the life of that person's descendants, and in addition, will put in danger the existence of all humanity. The control of a few over others turns the oppressed into beings who are different, into mere instruments for the controlling person's own good and not a common one. Lack of love and contempt for others increasingly contributes to causing chaos and the distortion of true Christian values. Abuse of power is also a common way of creating isolation and aggression among brethren. Trust and understanding must reign in our societies to dissipate forms of violence, otherwise we will be destined to fail.
Violence is part of man but he himself must learn to control and dominate it, otherwise it will have dark and devastating implications. The man who takes the life of another will also be nullifying the life of that person's descendants, and in addition, will put in danger the existence of all humanity. The control of a few over others turns the oppressed into beings who are different, into mere instruments for the controlling person's own good and not a common one. Lack of love and contempt for others increasingly contributes to causing chaos and the distortion of true Christian values. Abuse of power is also a common way of creating isolation and aggression among brethren. Trust and understanding must reign in our societies to dissipate forms of violence, otherwise we will be destined to fail.
