"The mystery of creation … is that it is a gift from God's boundless love. Only love creates what is good. … The creation of man as male and female, the nuptial meaning of the body, the original happiness of Adam and Eve — all these things are aglow with the radiance of love.
"The opening verses of the Bible speak not only of creation, but of grace. Grace is the communication of God's holiness, the radiance of his Spirit. …
"Happiness is the fruit of love. Man was happy in the beginning because he was created by Love and gave love in return. But even after the Fall, love didn't vanish from the world — because it can never be eradicated. Generations after sin entered the world, Christ came to redeem it — bearing witness to the irreversible love of God first expressed in creation.
"As we've seen, man and woman felt no shame from the beginning. Freedom from shame is the result of love. … Because they were in complete communion with God and with each other, Adam and Eve experienced creation at its fullest and deepest dimension. Filled with grace, they walked in God's holiness. This was the source of their innocence. Grace is what enables a man and woman to make a sincere gift to one another.
"For Adam and Eve, the body was a witness to innocence. The statement that they were 'both naked and felt no shame,' is unique in the Bible. … Elsewhere, nakedness is associated with shame and even disgrace. In the ancient Middle East, clothing was linked to status. …
"In this context, we can see just how striking Genesis 22:5 is. Innocence was a gift of grace to Adam and Eve. Because their hearts were pure by the radiation of God's love, they were able to see the true meaning of their nakedness and give themselves completely to each other.
"Original innocence speaks of the Creator's gift. It speaks of grace …."
An der Grabstätte von Kronprinzessin Cecilie
1 week ago
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