Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/72



God is  omniscient.  God  knew  the  minds  of  both  Cain  and  Abel. He saw  Cain’s  envy  and  bloodthirstiness,  and  knew  what  crime  he  had committed, even  though  Cain  would  not  acknowledge  it.

God is  holy.  Therefore  the  offering  of  the  righteous  Abel  was well pleasing  to  Him,  but  He  took  no  pleasure  in  the  offering  of  the evil-minded Cain.

God is  Just.  In  what  way  did  God  show  His  justice  in  this  story ? First by  the  words:  “If  thou  do  well,  shalt  thou  not  receive?”  and those other  words:  “The  voice  of  thy  brother’s  blood  crieth  unto  me.” Secondly by  the  fact  that  He  punished  the  murderer  most  terribly.

Envy is  a capital  sin,  because,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  case  of Cain,  it  leads  to  many  other  sins. Cain began  by  being  envious of his  brother,  and  then,  because  he  did  not  check  this  feeling,  there grew up  in  his  heart  a fierce  anger  against  Abel. He did  not  resist this anger,  but  rather  cherished  it,  so  that  it  turned  into  bitter  hatred, and kindled  in  his  heart  the  terrible  desire  to  kill  his  brother. Then, as he  did  not  resist  this  thirst  for  blood,  it  grew,  until  at  last  it  led him to  commit  the  horrible  crime  of  fratricide.

Murder. The  deadly  blow  which  Cain  dealt  Abel  was  intentional and premeditated;  and  such  an  action  is  called  murder. Cain was not only  a murderer,  but  also  a fratricide,  i.  e.  the  murderer  of  his brother.

The sins  which  cry  to  heaven  for  vengeance.  We  can  see  by  this story of  Cain  and  Abel,  whence  comes  the  expression  of  sins  crying to heaven  for  vengeance. Wilful murder  is  counted  among  them,  because of  the  words  of  God:  “The  blood  of  thy  brother  crieth  &amp;c.”

The forgiveness  of  sins. Is  it  true  that  Cain  might  have  obtained forgiveness if  he  had  done  penance? His sin  was  indeed  great,  but God’s mercy  is  infinitely  greater;  and  the  murderer  would  have  been forgiven by  God  if  he  had  but  repented  and  confessed  his  terrible  sin. Our faith  teaches  us  explicitly  that  all  sins  can  be  remitted  if  only they are  confessed  with  the  proper  dispositions. It was  Cain’s  own fault that  he  did  not  obtain  forgiveness. He would  not  confess  his  sin, though God  Himself  questioned  him. We cannot  get  our  sins  forgiven