Catholic Activity: Jesse Tree, Day 3 — Fall of Man

Symbols: Tree with Fruit or Apple

By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:19)

The parents of the human race, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God's command in the Garden of Eden, thereby committing the original sin, resulting in the closing of the gates of Heaven to mankind.

Even after this sin, man was not abandoned by God. God promises a Messiah and Redeemer: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel (Gen 3:14)." He tells us of a "New Adam" who will have victory over sin.

This victory of Christ has given us greater blessings than those which sin had taken from us. God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good:

O truly necessary sin of Adam,
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!
O Happy Fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer! (Exsultet from the Easter Vigil).

DIRECTIONS

Recommended Scripture Readings:

• Genesis 3:1-7, 9, 14-29, 23-24

Selections from The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

• CCC 385-421 The Fall
• CCC 502-505 Mary's virginal motherhood in God's plan
• CCC 539 Jesus is the New Adam
• CCC 1262-1264 The Grace of Baptism

Jesse Tree Overview
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Printable PDF Jesse Tree guide: The Jesse Tree: Advent 2023

Activity Source: Original Text (JGM) by Jennifer Gregory Miller, © Copyright 2003-2023 by Jennifer Gregory Miller