Am I My Brother’s
Keeper? (Genesis 4:10)
Dear friends as we sat in silence
and waited for those members in parliament to see if they would vote in favour
of their littlest brothers and sisters who would otherwise be condemned to
death without even one person being able to offer a last moment of reprieve or even
to stand there and wait whilst they died, the words “am I my brother’s keeper
kept echoing loudly in my head “this thought came strongly into my heart. I
share it with you because I think the words are appropriate and relevant for
these days.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Asks Cain
of God (Gn 4:10)
This original question remained
suspended and unanswered for innumerable thousands
of years until it was answered by
Jesus’ own resounding YES on the
cross. No greater love hath he that he lay down his life for his friend
“No greater love hath he that he lay
down his life for his friend” (Jn 15:13) or perhaps even lay down his life for
his littlest brother/sister. This is what has been asked of those who answered
the question “am I my brother’s keeper”
Jesus on the Cross died in place of
his brother or sister and
in doing so answered the question
“am I my brother’s
keeper”“ Yes. Yes. shouts Jesus. “I died so my brother doesn’t
die”
Yes, yes answered Jesus we are our
brother’s keeper. This
is the response of love in answer
to that ancient question of anti-love.
Today the new place of anti-love,
the new place of violence, abortion demands a new response to. "Am I my
brother’s keeper?”
“Yes” answers Jesus and is
willingly sacrificed.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Yes we respond by doing all we can to save our
littlest brother or sister.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Yes, when we all mourn for the
littlest one who is unjustly killed and its mother and father cannot mourn for
it.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes” we answer when we refuse to
accept the death of our littlest infants.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes, I am my brother’s keeper and his load which becomes too heavy I
will help him carry”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes I am my brother’s keeper, I
care that he dies unknown unrecognised, unloved. I care for him.”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes” I am my brother’s keeper, I
mourn for every child who dies unloved, unwanted, uncherished.”
Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes” I am my brother’s keeper, I
bleed because he is shredded and bleeds and dies.”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes I am my brother’s keeper, his death
is unjust and his voice cries out
for justice and is in pain.”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes I am my brother’s keeper I
will not stand by and watch while my
brother is killed and incinerated
like something worthless. He is my greatest
treasure. My brother’s unjust death
washes the ground with his blood. This has been done before. Sacred blood.”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Yes I am my brother’s keeper I
will
not stand by and watch a child be abused,
ill-treated, enslaved, killed.”
“Yes I am my brother’s keeper. I am diminished when my littlest brother
or sister is wantonly killed.
Yes truly I am my brother’s
keeper.”
Jesus responded to this question
“am I my brother’s keeper?” when His own blood fell to the ground in droplets.
He responded “I will redeem you and restore honour to you because you are my
brother. I am your keeper. Your will not be alone.”