Choose a topic from Part 1:
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.
"A single act of uniformity with the divine will suffices to make a saint."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts."
St Philip Neri
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"O Lord, my God, who will seek you with simple and pure love, and not find that you are all one can desire, for you show yourself first and go out to meet those who seek you?
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St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church
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