The Fall from Glory

God is infinitely good, and all His works are good. Yet our daily experience manifests so much in us that is not good- our sinfulness. Sinful social structures- habitual patterns of human interaction are infected by sin A whole network that oppresses & enslaves: the structures of violence and brutality, prostitution and adultery, poverty & injustice (some of the devastating consequences of original sin) Genesis narrative- origin of the situation of sinfulness

Although set by God in a state of rectitude, the first humans, enticed by the Evil One, abused their freedom at the very start of history. They lifted themselves against God, and sought to attain their goal apart from Him. Although they had known God, they did not glorify Him as God, but their senseless hearts were darkened, and they served the creature rather than the Creator.

 Usually we Filipinos are ever ready to excuse our own faults and others faults: Sapagkat tayoy tao lamang - makes light of the real personal harm caused by sins to persons, families and whole communities misfortunes- punishment from God for our sins (tadhana), test from God (pagsubok) Giving more importance to the feeling of shame (hiya) of losing face before others than the moral evil of sin - sorry!: used so frequently in common speech to mean something like pasensya that it no longer expresses any genuine sorrow or contrition, with firm intention of changing ones ways

 Intense concern we normally feel for family, friends and relatives- kamag-anak coupled with complete unconcern for others. Bayanihan spirit ningas kugon

 The most fundamental aspect of the Churchs doctrine of original sin is not so much universal sinfulness as universal salvation. St. Paul: Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3). The Good News is not about original sin but of Gods redeeming love through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit The Vigil of Easter: Father, how wonderful your care for us! How boundless your merciful love To ransom a slave you gave away your Son. O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, Which gained for us so great a Redeemer

Scripture on our Human Fall

A. Genesis - presents the story of the Fall of our human race within Gods plan of creation and redemption - describes how, at the origin of our race, man & woman turned away from God their Creator in disobedience and pride, thus rejecting Gods friendship They wanted to be like God, but without God, ahead of God, & not according to God the serpent- an evil force called Satan or the devil

 In rebelling against God, man & woman destroyed their original harmony with: - each other (they realized theyre naked) - others (Cains murder of his brother Abel) - the community (Tower of Babel) - nature (cursed be the ground) death will be theirs, For you are dirt, & to dirt you shall return (Gn 3:19) The Genesis narrative presents 3 moments: 1. temptation 2. sin 3. judgment

 original man & woman- are the source of moral evil This alone can explain the universality of evil in our race, & the moral evil which we experience in our world today. Yet the final biblical word is not that human beings are evil but that God is Savior. B. St. Paul All have sinned & are deprived of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), but is equally insistent that Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will come to life again. (1 Cor 15:22)

Church Teaching on Original Sin

We Filipinos today, as members of the race of Adam, do not inherit his personal sin, but rather the sinful condition started by his originating sin kasalanang mana- the state of sinfulness in which we are all born This universal sinfulness is confirmed by the clear Gospel proclamation that all are redeemed by Christ. Original Sin: 1. sin of the world- social dimension of original sin

2. heart of darkness within uspersonal interior dimension of original sin concupiscence: inclination which comes from sin & inclines to sin 3. ratification of original sin by our personal sinful thoughts, words and deeds seven capital sinsour concupiscence manifests itself in these root source of sins from which many other sins are born

Descriptive Definition of Original Sin - the state in which we are born as members of the human race It is called original since it dates from the origin of our human race. This means it is universal: all need to be redeemed. It is called sin not because it is a personal sinful thought, word, or action on our part, but because it is a state contrary to Gods will. It is an obstacle to that positive loving relation to Him & His whole creation for which we are created. inclination to evil & disharmony within ourselves, with others and with all created things: direct result of the refusal to acknowledge God as the creative source of all & final destiny for every human person.

 Bible: experience of disharmony- life as a dramatic struggle between good & evil, between light & darkness Only by responding as best we can to the grace of Christ our Lord, will all our economic, social, and political activities be salvific. Vatican II: For a monumental struggle against the powers of darkness pervades our whole human history. The battle was joined from the very origins of the world and will continue until the last day. Caught in this conflict, we are obliged to wrestle constantly if we are to cling to what is good. Nor can we achieve our own integrity without valiant efforts and the help of grace.

 Finally, we all must face the ultimate test of our lives: death. Bodily death as we now experience is due to the Fall: Because God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being It was the wicked who with hands & words invited death, & considered it a friend, and pined for it, & made a covenant with it, because they deserve to be in its possession (Wis 1:13-14, 16) St. Paul brings out clearly the relation of death to sin: Just as through one man sin entered the world, & with sin death, death thus coming to all men inasmuch as all sinned (Rom 5:12).

But he does this to show that as sin reigned through

Death, grace also may reign by way of justice leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 5:21).