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97. The Preservation of Man in the State of Innocence

1. Man, in the state of innocence, was immortal; he wasnot to die. But immortality was a supernaturally bestowed gift; itwas not merely a perfection of man's nature. And man lost thissupernatural gift by his rebellion against God. It was by sin thatdeath came into the world.

2. In view of the supernatural gift of immortality ordeathlessness, man was to be free from the ravages of age,sickness, injury, breakdown, decay. To this extent, man was to beimpassible, that is, not subject to suffering or harmful influence.Man could have undergone normal and nonharming experiences, such asappetite for food and the tendency to sleep. Man'simpassibility was lost, with his immortality, by the originalsin.

3. In the state of innocence, man needed food; God toldour first parents (Gen. 2:16) to eat of the fruits of all the treesof Paradise except that of one certain tree. Food will always be arequirement of living man until the body is spiritualized at thegeneral resurrection; then there will be no need whatever of bodilysustenance.

4. Scripture indicates that fallen man might have gainedimmortality again by eating of the "tree of life" (Gen.3:22). But this would not have been an absolute immortality such asman had lost. The "tree of life" could have rejuvenatedman, but it would not have given man permanent youth and unagingperfection; it would have had to be eaten again and again; it wouldsave man from age, but age would come on anew.

"Lord, here burn, here cut, and dry up in me all that hinders me from going to You, that You may spare me in eternity."
St Louis Bertrand

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"If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will. For the future, embrace God's good pleasure and say to him in every happening: "Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight." "
St Alphonsus de Liguori

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"A man should keep himself down, and not busy himself in mirabilibus super se."
St Philip Neri

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