Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/69

 first  parents  were  not  hardened  in  sin,  but  confessed  their  guilt  and repented of  it.

Adam and  Eve  not  eternally  lost.  They  received  pardon  on account  of  their  belief  in  the  future  Saviour;  and,  on  account  of  their repentance and  long  life  of  expiation,  were  delivered  from  Limbo  by our  Lord,  and  taken  by  Him  to  heaven. In the  Book  of  Wisdom (io, 2)  it  is  expressly  said  that  the  divine  wisdom  “drew  him  (Adam) out of  sin”.

The curse  which,  as  a consequence  of  sin,  rests  on  irrational creatures, is  removed  by  the  blessing  which  the  Church,  in  the  name of our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  bestows  on  natural  objects.

Unworthy Communion. Adam  and  Eve,  being  in  a state  of  sin, did not  dare  to  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life; for,  had  they  done so, they  would  have  been  eternally  damned. He who  receives  the Blessed Sacrament  (which  is  prefigured  by  the  tree  of  life)  in  a state of sin,  draws  damnation  on  himself.

Sin is  the  greatest  of  all  evils,  and  the  source of all  other  evils. You are  afraid  of  lesser  evils,  such  as  sickness, danger, or  death;  why  are  you  so  little  afraid  of  the  greatest  of all  evils? Guard against  sin,  for  it  leads  to  sorrow  and  misery. If you  do  right,  you  will  have  a joyful  spirit,  a good  conscience, and peace  and  happiness  in  your  innocent  heart. But if  you  do wrong,  your  heart  will  be  unhappy  and  uneasy,  and  the  pains  of remorse  and  fear  will  pursue  you,  as  they  pursued  Adam  and Eve after  the  fall. Therefore, set  enmity  between  yourself  and sin; detest  it  and  flee  from  it. And often  pray  devoutly  thus: ‘‘Deliver us  from  evil,  from  the  greatest  of  all  evils,  sin!”

DAM and  Eve  had  many  children;  the  first  two  were  Cain and Abel. Cain was  a husbandman,  or  tiller  of  the  earth; Abel was  a shepherd. Abel was  just,  but  the  works  of  Cain were evil. Now it  happened  one  day  that  they  offered  a sacrifice to God  in  gratitude  for  the  benefits  He  had  bestowed  upon  them.