Just as we experience great wonder at the birth of a child, Eve praised the Lord at the birth of Cain. Cain worked the land and Abel, his younger brother, was a shepherd. Because God favoured Abel, Cain was jealous and killed his brother. When Cain was confronted by the Lord, he denied knowing where Abel was. The Lord was not fooled and declared that Abel's blood was crying out to him from the ground. Blood was considered sacred as it was the centre of life. The Lord punished Cain by taking away his ability to till the soil well. Cain became a wanderer and a fugitive. In this story we find the first mention of the word 'sin'; Cain's jealousy and anger resulted in the murder of his brother. We are always 'our brother's keeper' - we care for one another.

Jesus had just fed the crowd of four thousand and had taken his disciples in a boat across the Sea of Galilee when the Pharisees came. They were constantly testing Jesus, so they asked him for a sign from heaven. The healings, exorcisms, and miracles of Jesus were not enough for the Pharisees. But Jesus said that there would be no sign. Jesus' humanity was evident here in his impatience with the constant harassment by the Pharisees. Immediately, Jesus and his disciples got into the boat and left. His refusal to 'play their game' and his many deeds are evidence that Jesus was from God. In order to know Jesus, we must have an open heart and faith in God.