Adam and Eve were created without any sin. This means that they were not burdened by selfishness or fear or unmet needs. God created the whole universe and placed them in the beautiful Garden and walked with them in the cool of the evening. He entrusted the whole created world to them, and they in turn, knowing clearly where they came from and where they were going (they came from God and were returning to God and God was taking care of everything every step of the way), entrusted themselves completely to their loving Father. They obeyed because they trusted.
The initial Covenant between God and man (like every relationship) was built on a foundation of TRUST.
The serpent tricks Eve into doubting God’s goodness and love for her. He convinces her that God is holding something back, and that if she is going to be completely happy and fulfilled, she is going to need to do the one thing she was told not to do. And she did it: she reached for what was not meant to be hers (at least not yet), ate the forbidden fruit, gave some to Adam, and everything fell apart.
They let trust in the Father’s love for them shrivel in their hearts and decided to move on without Him; and so they disobeyed, disrupting the integrity of their relationship with God, with their true selves, and with each other. And now we have to struggle to obey and work to support ourselves and eventually die and leave our mess to others. Because TRUST has been broken and disobedience has become a possibility.
Since that moment, God has been on a rescue mission to rebuild that trust so that we can know true joy and peace. Since the Original Sin, the whole of Salvation History is a plan to recover man’s trust in God’s goodness and mercy, so that we might live an abundant life.
Mary trusted. She was also born without Original Sin (because the Son of God would require an absolutely pure vessel for His first tabernacle, the Ark of the New Covenant, the new Eve, who is the Mother of all the living), and her trust is evident in her answer to the impossible proposition the Angel brings to her. “Fiat mihi,” is her queenly answer. This young girl, so beautiful and full of grace, submits in trusting obedience, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Obedience, since the first sin, costs something. Mary knew this, and yet she never drew back from her yes, all the way to the Cross and beyond. Let us ask Mary, the sinless one who trusted wholly, to intercede for us before the Throne of Grace, that through the merits of her Immaculate Conception, we too might grow in trust and show our love for God by our obedience.
Adán y Eva fueron creados sin pecado. Esto significa que no estaban agobiados por el egoísmo, el miedo o las necesidades insatisfechas. Dios creó todo el universo y los colocó en el hermoso Jardín y caminó con ellos en el frescor del atardecer. Les confió todo el mundo creado, y ellos a su vez, sabiendo claramente de dónde venían y hacia dónde iban (venían de Dios y regresaban a Dios y Dios se estaba encargando de todo en cada paso del camino), se encomendaron completamente a su Padre amoroso. Obedecieron porque confiaron.
La Alianza inicial entre Dios y el hombre (como toda relación) se construyó sobre un fundamento de CONFIANZA.
La serpiente engaña a Eva para que dude de la bondad y el amor de Dios por ella. La convence de que Dios le está ocultando algo, y que si quiere ser completamente feliz y realizada, tendrá que hacer lo único que se le dijo que no hiciera. Y lo hizo: tomó lo que no estaba destinado a ser suyo (al menos en este momento), comió del fruto prohibido, le dio un poco a Adán y todo se vino abajo.
Dejaron que la confianza en el amor del Padre por ellos se marchitara en sus corazones y decidieron seguir adelante sin Él; y así desobedecieron, alterando la integridad de su relación con Dios, con su verdadero ser y con los demás. Y ahora tenemos que luchar para obedecer y trabajar para mantenernos a nosotros mismos y, finalmente, morir y dejar nuestros problemas a otros. Porque la confianza se ha roto y la desobediencia se ha convertido en una posibilidad.
Desde ese momento, Dios ha estado en una misión de rescate para reconstruir esa confianza para que podamos conocer la verdadera alegría y paz. Desde el Pecado Original, toda la Historia de la Salvación es un plan para recuperar la confianza del hombre en la bondad y misericordia de Dios, para que podamos vivir una vida abundante.
María confió. Ella también nació sin Pecado Original (porque el Hijo de Dios necesitaría un vaso absolutamente puro para Su primer tabernáculo, el Arca de la Nueva Alianza, la nueva Eva, que es la Madre de todos los vivientes), y su confianza es evidente en su respuesta a la proposición imposible que el Ángel le trae. “Fiat mihi”, es su respuesta de reina. Esta jovencita, tan bella y llena de gracia, se somete en obediencia confiada: “Yo soy la esclava del Señor; cúmplase en mí lo que me has dicho”.
Desde el primer pecado la obediencia nos cuesta. María lo sabía, y sin embargo nunca se arrepintió de su sí, hasta la Cruz y más allá. Pidamos a María, la que no tiene pecado, la que confió plenamente, que interceda por nosotros ante el Trono de la Gracia, para que a través de los méritos de su Inmaculada Concepción, también nosotros podamos crecer en confianza y mostrar nuestro amor a Dios a través de la obediencia.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: Ron Lach, pexels.com/photo/orthodox-icon-depicting-virgin-mary-and-jesus-10628198/
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