I’m a bit of a Book of Genesis junky. I don’t know how that happened! I think its just a great depiction of how life came to be as it is and how God called to His people in the most perfect of ways. I also teach a baptism course a few times a year to new parents entering their child into the Church, which drew me into the Book of Genesis.
As a result of my studies, I’ve shared some information with my children. My son keeps brining up the story of Adam and Eve. Just the other day, while throwing the football around, he was explaining to me that he loves sports and if Adam and Eve hadn’t eaten the apple, football would be boring. Under his logic, each play would result in a touchdown.
That’s a stumper! I couldn’t say to him, yeah, and there’d be no cancer either – a little too harsh for a 7 year old!
I told my son that Adam still did things, he tended the fields, just that it wasn’t burdensome. (The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.) Gen 2:15. I also went out on a limb and explained that football would be played but without malice, jealousy or hatred. A player would get tackled and he’d get up and say, nice tackle to his opponent! There’d be no poor sportsmanship either.
My son also explained that to live life, Adam and Eve had to eat the apple. Such an old lie, renewed through the eyes of a young child. The lie that God and Man are opponents. With God, we can’t do what we want, when in truth, without God, we couldn’t do anything, since all things come from God.
Here I did say that to live in union with God is always better. Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God, so they decided to eat the apple and become like Gods, discerning good from evil, and this world is what we got. God wanted us to know of sin and death but like a doctor, not like a patient. A doctor knows of cancer without experience it, as such, God wanted us to know of life in such a manner. In the garden, in union with God, we wouldn’t experience death or illness.
Finally, what I think hit home, was that even though we live on earth, in a fallen world, that doesn’t mean we can’t experience joy. God still loves us as he loved Adam and Eve after their fall. In this world, there are times I see Eden and there are times I see the fallen world.
My son was relieved, I think deep down, he was worried that his joys shouldn’t be experienced because of Adam and Eve’s sin. No, joy would just be greater in union with God in the Garden, but joy still exists.
Right after the fall: I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Gen 3:15.
I will put enmity (Jesus!) between you (The devil) and the woman (Mary!) and between your seed (the line of Cain) and her seed (the line of Seth, leading to Abraham – David – Joseph – Jesus); he (Jesus!) shall bruise (crush) your head, and you shall bruise (cross) his heel. Gen 3:15.
This is why most statues of Mary show her standing on the head of a dead serpent, signifying the devils defeat and the conquering of death. Through Mary’s perfect yes, we usher in the Blessed Savior, making Mary the portal for the devil’s failure.
Adam and Eve have fallen, foolishly and full of pride. Not a few seconds later, God is promising a Blessed Savior, His Son. That’s great love!
The Cathohack 