St. Joseph's Corner: Steps to a Worthy Confession / Part 1

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         Have you ever wondered why there are two creation stories in the Bible?  If you study them you will find that in the first story God not only created the visible world but the invisible world as well. We are all familiar with the creation of the universe so man would have a fit place to live.  It was to be Heaven on earth for “God walked with man.” Scripture tells us that before God created the visible world, He created the invisible world, the Angels, the highest creatures who are spirits without bodies having superior intellects and free wills. In order to live forever with God, He tested them; a prerequisite of eternal life for all His creatures.  Speculating as to what the test may have been, it is as if the angels saw into the future and beheld the "God-Man.” Out of pride, Lucifer cried out, “I will not serve.”  The “Bearer of Light” would not bow to a nature lower than himself, namely, man.  Not accepting God’s Will and His plan, Lucifer who now became “Satan,” sinned mortally.  He and his followers made the deliberate choice of refusing to obey God. In Justice, God commanded Satan and all his followers (devils) fall from the Heavens into a place of eternal punishment called Hell.  Those who accepted His Will entered Heaven and became Adorers before the Throne of God and some, messengers.

          The second story of creation centers on the fall of man and God’s revelation of His Mercy.  “The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and “blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.”  This ‘breath of life’ was man’s soul, made in the image and likeness of God Himself with faculties of free will and intellect.  He was created to cultivate and care for the garden that God planted and of which grew “various trees which were delightful to look at and good for food, with the Tree of Life in the middle of the garden and the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil.”

          Scripture tells us that one day when Adam and Eve heard the Lord God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of day, they hid themselves.  The Lord God called out, “Where are you?” Having been tempted by the devil’s cunning and sly ways, Adam and Eve had fallen.  Out of pride, they consciously chose to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, for they “wanted to be like God!”   Rejecting God, the evil and horror of sin in its reality showed itself.  This sin is called Original Sin.  Although it was a personal sin for Adam and Eve it was to sting all human beings (except Mary and Christ).   They lost Sanctifying Grace, the greatest gift they had received when they were

created and were now subject to suffering, concupiscence, and even death.  Man was separated from the friendship of God.

          And God said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is bad!  Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand to take fruit from the Tree of Life, and thus eat of it and live forever (in sin).”  So, God’s Justice banished them from the garden.  But the beauty of this story is that right before God casts them out of the garden, He shows them Mercy, the action of His greatest attribute, Love. God gave them the Hope of a Redeemer, One who would “pay the price” and restore the friendship between God and man. 

          Now, you might ask, “Why had God not offered Mercy to the Angels?”   The angels were given FULL KNOWLEDGE of His Mercy.  They are pure spirits, not limited by time or space as we are because we are made of body and spirit.  They saw God for Who He Is.  There was no one to tempt Lucifer and his followers. Of their own free will, which God will not interfere with, they chose to reject Him thereby condemning themselves to eternal separation from God.  Their sin was irrevocable. 

          In the Apostles Creed we pray, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins."  The Sacrament of Baptism washes away the sin of our first parents and all other sins committed.  This Sacrament makes us a child of God and heir to His Kingdom. An indelible character imprinted on the soul marks us as a member of Christ, a member of His Church.  
          We have need of another Sacrament though, as we grow and mature. Unlike Baptism which can be received only once, the Sacrament of Penance, sometimes called Reconciliation or Confession can be received throughout our life.  This Sacrament helps us to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" as St. Paul states.  This Sacrament helps us to develop a personal relationship with Christ with whom we Hope to spend our eternity with.

To Be Continued....