21 / 25
Foreseeing Adam’s disobedience, God chose to send
his Only Begotten Son, out of the stock of Abraham, to be
the Redeemer who reconciles Adam and Eve, and each of
us, so that we could again share in this marvelous gift of
his grace. That Adam and Eve, who lost this gift, should
be the first to have it restored to them provides a profound
insight both into the nature of their fault and into that
of the divine remedy. At the center of the whole history
of divine love is Christ, who, by his perfect obedience to
the Father, overcomes the sin and death that result from
the human unwillingness to receive from God what he
would freely bestow and now graciously restores in his Son.
The already-quoted ancient homily puts into the mouth
of Christ words directed not only to Adam and Eve but
also to us:
“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and
Christ will give you light.” I am your God, who for
your sake have become your son. Out of love for you
and your descendants I now by my own authority
command all who are held in bondage to come forth,
all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who
are sleeping to arise…. I did not create you to be
held a prisoner in hell…. Rise, let us leave this place.
The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will
not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone
you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only
a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself amnow
one with you.
25
Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia, o.p.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
© 2016, Magnificat Foundation
25 Ibid., 497-8