Mtr Mary Trainor

The kiss of the sun for pardon, 
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.*

Dear friend,

I’ve carried this lovely poem around with me for the better part of sixty years. And it comes to mind again today as I read the Genesis passage offered. The old familiar story that recounts the disobedience of Adam and Eve.

You know the one: They are given full access to the garden. Everything is theirs, with one exception: Don’t eat from the tree in the center of the garden, the tree of knowledge.

***

Then tha pesky serpent convinces Eve to take a bite. God’s not going to kill you for that, it said. C’mon!
Eve does, then offers a bite to Adam. They are now aware that they are naked.

An encounter with God results, God who wants to know how they know they are naked.

What always disappoints in this account is not the disobedience, but rather the scapegoating, the cowardice: Eve blames the serpent; Adam blames Eve. Neither takes responsibility.

***

Maybe we’re luckier living all these years later. We have a whole process of confessing and absolution. We promise amendment of life. When we fail at that, we can start the process over.

What if Eve said, I’m sorry. I messed up. What if Adam said, it’s my fault God, I could have said no. What if the serpent said, No, it’s all on me. I’m to blame.

Not only are those words true, but confessing them makes us braver, more like the children of God that we are.

—Mtr Mary

*Dorothy Frances Gurney (God’s Garden)