The lives of Adam and Eve were sustained in virtuous conduct by God who granted them a share of his divine life. This share was sanctifying grace, the procession of a two-fold gift from God: “original holiness” and a participation in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. [CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (CCC) 375]
The Genesis account discloses that Adam and Eve possessed the fullness of intellect and reason. Both enjoyed free will and the liberty to act rightly or wrongly. Having no experience of trial or hardship, they accepted God’s friendship and trusted his divine commands from the start—Do this, don’t do that. Throughout the age of innocence, the length of which is unknown, the intellect and will of the first human beings mirrored the divine goodness in whose image and likeness they were created. [cf. Gen 1:26]
Adam, searching for a help-mate, rightly rejected all birds, beasts and fishes as unsuitable. By saying yes to intimacy with Eve, “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” [Gen 2:23], he cooperated with God’s plan for human well-being. By saying no to the primary companionship of non-human creatures, he honored God in whose image and likeness he was created.
Eve who enjoyed good things to eat knew well what God commanded her and Adam: “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” [Gen 3:3] Tempted by the serpent (devil), she touched and ate fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Obsessed by self-interest, Eve convinced Adam to make her strikingly outrageous act of apostasy against God complete. Thus the age of innocence vanished, and their idolatrous hearts convulsed with anguish and dread.
Eve rejected the God of creation and gravely wounded her relationship with Adam. The wretched Adam validated his companion’s sin by doubly failing in his duty. He neither corrected Eve nor interceded prayerfully on her behalf in God’s presence. One may speculate as to the narrative’s outcome if Adam refused to conspire with Eve, seeking instead divine pardon for her and healing for the wounded creation. In the face of this generation’s incalculable human suffering, to be sure, such speculation is feckless and irresponsible.
Saying yes to lust and greed demands a corresponding no to the primacy of truth. Both grasped for equality with God and the sham promise of undeserved self-generated immortality. They decisively rejected God who alone names what is good and what is evil. Having cooperated with the serpent’s sinister attack on the dignity of their own personhood, God expelled the two offenders from Eden.
Tragically, humanity fell with Adam and Eve into perpetual suffering and death, losing all memory of intimacy with God. Many aspects of the Genesis story always will be debated, but perhaps common agreement could be expected on this point: The human response to faith is always personal, far-reaching and involves other persons. (To be continued ... )
