Sometimes Original Sin gets simplified into the eating of an apple. Actually an apple is not mentioned. It is fruit surely but what fruit we do not know. But what’s the big deal about eating an apple or piece of fruit? OK, maybe they shouldn’t have eaten it. But really, did an apple lead to all the pain and grief we experience today?
As you may have guessed, No, it was not an apple or fruit per se that led to all this. What was the Original Sin, what did it consist of? Consider that Original Sin was actually of cluster of sins: pride, disobedience, ingratitude, lack of trust, and a complete disregard for the wisdom and love of God. I am struck by how the Catechism describes Original Sin:
Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart and, abusing his freedom, disobeyed God’s command. This is what man’s first sin consisted of. All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and lack of trust in his goodness. In that sin man preferred himself to God and by that very act scorned him. He chose himself over and against God…Seduced by the devil, he wanted to “be like God”, but “without God, before God, and not in accordance with God” (CCC #s 397-398)
Notice the cascading effect that begins with a lack of trust. How did Adam and Eve (and all of us) fail to trust God? Simply in this, God had warned them of a certain tree, the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Pure and simple he warned they stay away from it for it would bring death to their souls. Now to “know” in the Bible always means more than intellectual knowing. To ”know” in the Bible means to have deep intimate and personal experience of the the thing or person known. Hence it is clear that God did not want Adam and Eve ever to have to experience the horrible reality of evil. He sought to protect them from its devastating effects. So God’s forbidding was made in protective love. We were called simply to trust God that evil is dreadful and we shouldn’t insist on knowing that for ourselves, just trust God.
But the Devil tempted us in this sort of way:
“You can’t trust God! He is hold something back from you. Sure he gave this nice garden and all but that is just to placate you. He knows that if you eat that fruit you will become like gods and begin to rival him. No! God is trying to keep you from your true destiny, to rule and even to tell him what to do! Do not trust Him or what he is telling you. it is only to keep you down, he isn’t really good at all. Listen to me. I promise you will not die, you will become like gods!
So there it is Adam and Eve. Who are you going to trust? God who gave you everything or the Devil who has given you nothing but promises something on the other side of the sin? Who will it be?
Sadly, you know the rest of the story. And Adam and Eve’s temptation is repeated in every sin we are tempted to commit.
”Come on” says the Devil, “God is trying to limit your freedom, keep you down and doesn’t want you to be happy! His demands are unreasonable, he is trying to take away your fun and fulfillment. Sin will make you happy. God’s way is restrictive. Do as you please. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do!”
And so often we buy into it. And are we happy? Maybe for a moment, but the misery of sin is too clear to be denied. The Devil is a liar. But what do we do when we sin? We trust him over God. In so doing the Catechism says we abuse our freedom. How? Because freedom for a Christian is “the capacity to obey God.” We are free when when are able to carry out what God says. Now the world and the Devil say that freedom is about doing whatever you please. No, not if it is sin because sin never leads to freedom, it leads to bondage. Jesus says, “Whoever sins is a slave to sin.” (Jn 8:34) Look at the world today and try to tell me that sin leads to freedom. Look at the addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, anger, revenge and greed and tell me that sin leads to freedom. No, sin is never freedom, it is bondage and many get so stuck in destructive behaviors that they don’t know how to stop. The video below powerfully illustrates the horror and bondage of sin, it shows its awful reality. It is not freedom at all, it is sorrow, bondage and humiliation.
In sin, we choose ourselves over God as the text from the Catechism says. We think we will become like gods, but in reality we sink lower than the animals and do things to each other and ourselves that even animals don’t do. God wants to raise us to share in his nature to be sure but we insist that we can do it ourselves. We cannot. Look at our grandiose attempts and tell me if you think we have been successful.
The following video does a pretty good job of depicting where Satan’s promises to Adam and Eve led. Watch it if you dare and remember that the Devil is a liar.
Indeed! At this moment as I write I am attacked by friends, family and acquaintencances to do and say things to my wife that are contrary to the laws of God. Also, even my wife sneers at my daily praying the novena rosary on a daily basis. But I stand fast and hope for the best!
Good thoughts all and sound doctrine. Next time please proof-read your text.
Yes, Original Sin consisted of more, much more, than merely eating the fruit. And that Original Sin of Adam and Eve is the original sin of the individual as well, that is, the preference of self over God, wanting to be a god and able to choose your own morality, your own concept of truth, of right and wrong, really is echoed in, and the origin of, every other individual sin that we commit.
On the other hand, there is the danger of going to the other extreme in the matter of “mortal sin.” All too often it seems that what constitutes a mortal sin is defined in narrower and narrower terms, giving one the impression that it is in only the most extreme of cases, the most serious of serious and grave of grave acts, deeds, etc., such as murder, etc. In so relegating mortal sin to the most extreme of cases, we forget that the most mortal sin of all (death for all mankind) really was not, on the surface, all that serious at all, but consisted of the seemingly innocuous act of eating a piece of fruit. We need to keep that in mind when we try to “justify” so many of our own sins as being “merely” venial sins because we subjectively believe them to not be all that serious.
In any event, it is good that, together with the revelation of God’s Name, the revelation of the Logos in the Gospel of John, and the revelation of God in and about the human body in the Creation accounts, that the fullness of the truth of the Fall is being discovered (or rediscovered) in the modern Church.
Gabriel,
Be patient with your wife. Religion was not a very big part of my life growing up as a child, but faith in a greater power and being a good person was the theme I was raised with. Belonging to a particular religion was not an issue. Needless to say, I went to church as a child and was taught the basics of Christianity, but never at any great depth or with great understanding. I was baptized, but not in the Catholic Church.
I converted to Catholicism before I was married and quickly realized that I was on a different page than my husband; I had an open ended type of faith while he had the rituals and structure of the Catholic Church. Although he did not pray the rosary daily, when May rolled around, his family’s tradition of praying the rosary as a family came out. Although I didn’t sneer, I was not exactly co-operative in making the evening prayer routine work within our family.
I am writing now to tell you that several years ago, a 4×4……. no, I’ll take that back, a railroad tie hit me on the head. I now have an immense love for the Catholic Church and the doctrine that defines it. I do not always make time to pray the rosary as often as I would like, but, I’m working on it. I have to remind my inpatient mind that faith bound within the Catholic teachings is not something understood overnight. It is a life long journey. I now realize the intense love Christ offers. I’m usually the one that remembers and wants to pray the rosary during the month of May. My kids think I’m a little tainted, but, they also know I live a life tainted with hope and internal hapiness. Deep down inside, I know they are learning from what they see. Maybe they will know the peace of Christ with a light whack from a 2×2! Bottom line, keep that rosary close to your heart. Your wife is doing the best she can and don’t think for a moment that she isn’t feeling your internal peace brought about through prayer centered on the rosary.
“Good thoughts all and sound doctrine. Next time please proof-read your text.”
Sky, have you ever heard of the “Oreo technique” when pointing out someone’s mistake? It’s a technique that involves layering; i.e., mention a good quality, mention the problem and then close with another good quality. Most people will hear the critique loud and clear, but they won’t feel deflated. The positive opening and closing thoughts don’t lessen the effect of the troubling observation, they simply soften the observed fault and reinforce one’s strengths.
Here’s an example of how it works. It is certainly a little wordy, but it is definitely a gentler way to point out a mistake.
“Monsignor,
I enjoyed your post and appreciate the time it must take to come up with good, “bloggable” thoughts. Blogging is certainly a new and creative way to engage and educate an audience. If you have the time, do you think you could run your posts through one last proof reading process before posting them? I can’t speak for others, but I find typos and grammatical errors distracting. Those few misplaced key strokes take away from the sound doctrine you cite to support your topic. Why not let your writing talent read with clarity.”
Lastly, I’m sure Monsignor appreciated the time you took to read his post and then comment on it. I’m a little confused on the meaning behind your first sentence. I’m imagining the sentence should read, “All good thoughts and sound doctrine.” Or, “Good thoughts and sound doctrine.” Or, is the “Good thoughts all and sound doctrine” meant to infer that all of his thoughts were good and supported with sound doctrine? I’m assuming you proofread your own comment. What am I missing here?
Good insight on giving advice. However, you yourself didn’t use the sandwich or “oreo” approach when critiquing the critique. “How To Win Freinds And Influence People” is a great read but when it’s principals are taken it too far a person sounds like a polititian: many words, little said. :p