Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/75

 Eve, weeping  over  the  body  of  her  beloved  son,  slain  by  the  hand of his  brother,  is  a type  of  the  sorrowful  Mother  of  God  who  stood, sorrowing, at  the  foot  of  the  Cross  on  which  hung  her  divine  Son, slain by  His  brethren,  the  Jews.

Envy is  very  easily  aroused  in  our  hearts. Have you  never  felt  envious  when  others  have  been  praised  or rewarded? Detest envy,  and  overcome  all  temptations  to  it,  for it is  a hateful  sin,  and  the  source  of  many  other  sins. “Through the envy  of  the  devil  death  came  into  the  world,  and  they  follow him who  are  of  his  side”  (Wisd.  2,  24). If you  let  envy  get possession of  you,  you  are  imitating  the  devil,  and  are  his  child. Do you  wish,  to  be  a child  of  the  devil ? If not,  be  not  envious and jealous  of  others,  but  rather  rejoice  when  good  befalls  them. Drive away  envy,  for  from  envy  came  the  first  murder.

The divine  admonition  to  overcome  the  desire  to  sin  applies to everybody. If God  required  of  Cain  that  he  should  master his evil  desires,  how  much  more  does  He  require  it  of  us  Christians, to  whom  so  many  graces  have  been  given? Examine yourself and  see  what  sin  you  are  most  inclined  to,  whether  it  be  lying, or greediness,  or  laziness,  or  disobedience,  or  anger,  or  sinful curiosity, and  resolve  never  to  give  way  to  it,  but  to  overcome it at  once. Resist the  beginnings  of  sin. If Cain  had  stifled  his envy in  the  beginning,  he  would  not  have  become  a fratricide! God warns  you  through  your  conscience,  in  the  same  way  that He warned  Cain. Do not  resist  these  warnings,  or  you  will  grow up hard  hearted.

If you  have  sinned  through  thoughtlessness  or  weakness,  go at  once  and  confess  your  sin  to  the  priest,  who  is  the  representative of  God,  and  God  will  forgive  you. He who  does  not  make a good confession,  is  hard  hearted,  like  Cain.

DAM lived  nine  hundred  and  thirty  years. He had  many sons and  daughters  to  whom  he  announced  the  law  of  God and the  coming  of  the  Redeemer. His immediate  descendants also lived  to  a very  great  age. Mathusala, the  oldest  of  them,