Day 3: Mary Hidden in Advent-The Fall

     You may have noticed that we are taking three days to complete the first story about Adam and Eve.   I am going along using the ornaments I already had on hand. Since I had one for Creation, one for Adam and Eve, and a separate one for the Fall, I divided the chapter on Creation into three lessons.  You could combine them if you wanted to, using just the Creation symbol and Mary, Queen of the Universe (or Queen of Creation) as your Marian title.  Also, I didn't begin the Jesse Tree this year until Dec. 1 because we were out of town.  It is preferable to begin the First Sunday of Advent, so extending this first chapter out a few days will make that possible next year.

Day 3:  The Fall

     Read pp. 13-15  in The Jesse Tree. Hang up the ornament (apple).
     Today we hear the sad story of Adam and Eve's fall from grace.

     Scripture reference: Genesis 3:1-24

     Comment:  Eve disobeyed God when she succumbed to temptation and ate the fruit which God had forbidden her not to eat.  Not only that, but she also tempted Adam to sin.  Their sin lost the grace God had given them, which should have been passed on to us, their descendants.  Now we are born without that grace.  This is called original sin.  Mary obeyed God and brought forth our Savior, Jesus Christ, who now restores this grace to us in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Related Title:  Mary, the New Eve

   "The knot of Eve's disobedience was loosened by Mary's obedience. The bonds fastened by the virgin Eve through disbelief were untied by the virgin Mary through faith."  St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies

As a thoughtful expression for mothers-to-be, prayer cards personalized with the name of an expectant mother and statues of “Mary the New Eve” are provided through St. Anthony’s Guild.
  

MARY THE NEW EVE 
O Mary, the new Eve,
You bore the Lord Jesus in your womb
with love beyond all telling.
Hear our prayers especially
for expectant mothers.
May their longing and expectations be
fulfilled with the same joy you
had that first Christmas.
Help us, your children,
to be committed to protecting and
nurturing all life as God first asked of us
when he created all things.
In the spirit of St. Francis, may we see
all creation, weak and powerful,
small and majestic, frail and strong,
human and non-human as
our brothers and sisters.
Blessed are you, for you have
shared your blessings with us,
and are the model of faithful love.
Amen.

+With ecclesiastical approval
 Copyright © 2010 St. Anthony’s Guild. All rights reserved.

 Want to read more about Mary, the New Eve?  John Paul II speaks about her in his general audience of September 18,1996 and Rev. Matthew Mauriello summarizes the teachings of the Church Fathers and Popes in this post.  For the scholars out there, Cardinal Newman comments at length on Mary as the New Eve , including many quotes from the Fathers of the Church.