Lev. 5, Session 1: Jesus Conquers Evil

Let's look at the concepts of good and evil. Did you ever wonder which came first? 

Some bad things that happen in the world are beyond human control. Other times, suffering happens in the world as a result of peoples’ sinful choices. 

Let’s look in the Bible to find out which came first: good or evil. As you read, I want you to count how many times you hear the word “good” and how many times you hear the word “evil.”

Read: Genesis 1:1-31. (Remember the numbers mean Genesis, Chapter 1, Verses 1-31)

(The tally should be Good- 7/Evil-0)

The first book of Genesis tells us that in the beginning of time,  only the goodness that God created existed in the world. The Church calls this state of goodness: Original Holiness. 

What is sin? (Sin is a deliberate action that hurts others and opposes the law of God.) Some sins are more serious than others. Very serious sins that destroy our friendship with God are called “mortal sins.” An example of a mortal sin is murder. Lesser sins, that weaken our relationship with God are referred to as “venial sins.”  

So how did Sin come into the picture? Genesis chapter 3 tells the story. Click the link to read it or look it up in your Catholic Student Bible.

Discuss with a parent:

1. Why did Adam and Eve disobey God’s command not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden? 2. What did the serpent say about the fruit?

3. What was the result of Adam and Eve’s choice to disobey God?

4. Why did Adam and Eve trust the serpent rather than God the Father?

5. What was the consequence of Adam and Eve’s choice to disobey God? 

The poor choice that Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden is referred to as “Original Sin.” Rather than trust God, they disobeyed his one request.   

Even though Adam and Eve had to leave the garden as a result of their sin, God still loved them deeply. He promised them salvation (forgiveness). Jesus the Son of God brought that salvation to the human race by dying on the cross to forgive our sins. Let’s listen.

With the help of a parent, read Romans 5:8, 19

Watch this great Scripture video about Romans 5:8- 

Discuss with a parent:

1. Why did God send his Son Jesus to Earth?

2. What moral virtue did Jesus have that resulted in His saving the human race from sin and death?

(Jesus was OBEDIENT to God the Father. His dying on the cross in obedience out of love and concern for human beings, resulted in God’s mercy and forgiveness pouring out over the whole world. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, forgiveness and mercy is available to us when we sin. 

3. Which sacrament offers us God’s forgiveness of sins and an opportunity to rebuild our friendship with Him through acts of penance?  (Reconciliation and Penance) 

St. Paul tells us: Guard Your Mind

Where do wrong choices begin? All choices start out as thoughts. In the story of “The Fall,” Adam and Eve allow themselves to believe the ideas of the serpent. St. Paul has advice on how to keep our thoughts focused on the truth, so that we can be “the best version of ourselves” as Catholic speaker Matthew Kelly often says.  In the video below, Mrs. Christie reflects on St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verse 8.

Before listening, locate Philippians 4:8 in your Catholic Student Bible. We will be practicing looking up Scripture verses during this reflection video.

Practice looking up the following verses in the Bible. Here are some links to the Bible passages mentioned in this video:

Philippians 4:8

Psalm 139:14

Philippians 2:3

Psalm 139:17

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