We start out chapter three right away with a conversation between Eve and a serpent. You and I know that the serpent is the Devil, but that knowledge isn’t exactly presented as simply as that in this chapter.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church digs into this to give us some background and extra detail:
“Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy. Scripture and the Church's Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called "Satan" or the “devil,”. The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: "The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing” CCC 391
My literal mind doesn’t understand how God could have created something that started out so pure but wound up the antithesis of purity. Clearly, God knew (as he knows all) that Satan and his fallen angels would fall to the sin of pride. Why didn’t he just NOT create Satan, then man would never have been lead to sin!
This is hard for me to understand and take without my faith working a little overtime. The Catechism addresses this, as well:
“It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but "we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him” CCC 395
God created His creatures, the angels as well as the humans, with free will. The Fourth Lateran Council in November of the year 1215 addressed the fall of Satan and takes us into the fall of man.
“The devil and other demons were created by God naturally good, but they became evil by their own doing. Man, however, sinned at the prompting of the devil,” EWTN.
God created man in His image, and established him in His friendship CCC 396. Man was created so perfectly, he literally walked with God! He had conversations WITH GOD. It’s not to say that we cannot converse with God, of course we should do just that as often as we can! However, (again, Literal Mandi coming in here) we don’t often hear His voice as physically and literally as Adam and Eve did.
Because of the fall of man, we now have to strive even harder and work constantly at having a relationship with God. It is too easy to fall away, as so many of us do at one point in our lives or another. I experienced my own fall from the Church after moving out for college, and now I have a love and fire for my faith like never before. I wish it wouldn’t have taken my own personal fall to develop this fire and love, but that’s what it took for me to have a truly authentic and individual love for our Faith.
Study Questions
How wonderful it would be to walk with the Lord, and see and speak directly to Him! What would you say?
Would you ask him questions? What is in your heart?
If you’re hurting, ask him for healing. If you’re lost or confused, ask for understanding. Remember, sisters, though we may not walk with Him the way Adam and Eve did in the beginning, He is ALWAYS walking with us.
