In my recent talk about the saints, I was developing an idea about how human maturity and sanctity involve learning to depend on others rather than learning to be more independent and self-sufficient. I linked this to a particular interpretation of Original Sin and the Fall. Here is the passage:
Let me look at the Adam and Eve story in Genesis. This is my speculation and not Catholic doctrine.
Adam and Eve leave Eden
One of the tragedies of the Fall, even before the sin of eating the forbidden fruit, was the fact that when Eve was tempted, instead of sharing this problem with Adam or with the Lord, she tried to argue with the serpent on her own. She didn’t turn to another and ask for help; she faced the challenge alone, trusted in herself too much, and in effect asserted her autonomy instead of allowing herself to receive the support of another. And I’m not making a point about woman’s need for man here. Adam, even though he was enticed by Eve and complicit with her choice, also acted alone. He didn’t stop to talk or reason with Eve or with the Lord. He just acted (Genesis Ch 3).
It’s the same with Cain and Abel in the following chapter of Genesis (Genesis Ch 4). This is a difficult passage to interpret, but at its heart it’s about two brothers faced with difficulties and temptations. When Cain was struggling with the Lord (because for some reason his offering was not acceptable to the Lord), instead of turning to his brother Abel, confiding in him, asking for his support and help and advice – he killed him. And when the Lord confronts him and says ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ Cain replies, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ He should have been his brother’s keeper, but he was not – and this is the heart of the tragedy.
And even more so (this is my interpretation), Cain should have allowed his brother Abel to be his keeper; he could have turned to his younger brother in this moment of crisis, in this struggle with the Lord, and asked for his help. But instead, he depended on his own resources and turned against his brother. Think of what Abel could have done for Cain if Cain he had opened his heart to him and confided in him?
The passage continues: “And the Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!” This is usually interpreted as meaning that the blood of Abel is crying out in vengeance against his brother, broadcasting the truth of his murder – and this is surely the primary meaning of the text.
But perhaps there is another hidden meaning here, which is that Abel’s blood is crying out in petition for his brother. Abel, in this story, is the just man, the innocent victim, like Christ. Just as Abel (we can suppose) wished he could have cried out to support his brother in that moment of temptation and crisis, now he cries out to the Lord, offering his own forgiveness, asking for forgiveness from the Lord for Cain, and praying for a sinner – his brother – just as Christ would pray for sinners from the Cross.
The point here is that Cain failed to be his brother’s keeper – he chose independence rather than dependence on another. Abel, in contrast, is the one who would have wanted to be his brother’s keeper, but wasn’t given the opportunity in this life. And now in death his blood cries out not just to indict his brother, but to intercede for him.
So part of our own healing and reconciliation as Christians is learning to become more dependent on others, learning to need others, when the constant temptation is to go it alone and isolate ourselves.
We see this healing and reconciliation taking place in many ways, one of which is in praying for each other, and asking others to pray for us.
A profound vision of redeemed Christian life is expressed whenever we pray to the saints. We turn to them not just because we want to get something from them, but also because we want to acknowledge our dependence on others, to show how much we need the help of the people God has made part of our lives.
Depending on the saints undermines the false idea that autonomy is the highest human goal. We are not made to be autonomous or self-sufficient; we are made to depend on each other – to be ‘keepers’ of our brothers and sisters, and to allow our brothers and sisters (at the appropriate times) to ‘keep’ us.
Bridges and Tangents 
I see what you mean in what you write and what you say makes sense. But if you depend on others too much they can let you down really badly. If you confide in some people they can literally destroy you. But if you turn to God in heaven first (whose presence to be fair can be secondly found in the workings of mankind that are full of “goodness”) he does not. Surely it is compliance with morality in terms of God’s law in heaven that matters first. We do need each other in life for certain. Life would not be lived in accordance with God’s command and Jesus’ teaching if family, friends and our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus did not matter. But I still think and have to admit I find it difficult to do at times that it is God’s will in heaven (not my own) that should come first.
God’s Will In heaven, as it is on earth!
God’s Will on earth, as it is in Heaven!
In Genesis 3: 1-6 Eve was tempted by the snake who said ‘you will be like gods, knowing good from evil’. There was much conversation. But not much proper listening. That was the fall. Although she fell by ‘not wholly’ listening to the wrong voice, hearing the wrong things. Her intentions (in my interpretation) were good. Loving God so very much, Eve saw that God was All Good and aspired to be wiser like Him and closer to Him, and One with Him.
In Genesis 3: Throughout the whole of 6-8 there was silence. Adam listening, but there was No talking what so ever, no conversing. That too was the fall. Not talking. Not sharing. Silence.
Then everyone in Genesis blames each other. God doesn’t blame anyone. He holds them each responsible for their part. By saying ‘because you have done this’ you will live the way according to your species.
I believe the story of Genesis is saying that if we are all listening, all hearing, all conversing, and all sharing, we will be all understanding, therefore All Loving. Loving One as the Other together we will be led back to Eden. Whole.
In Genesis 3: 8 onwards there is much talking, and conversing, and listening, and hearing, and leadership, and in Genesis 3: 23 God still cared and nurtured and clothed man. As punishment God expelled man from the Garden of Eden. He banished the man and in front of the Garden of Eden he posted, the great winged creatures and the fiery flashing sword, to guard the way to the tree of life. (In my opinion) The story is saying; if God wanted us to be forever banished he would have just hidden or taken Eden away. Instead He guards the golden way back to Eden. Genesis is quite a clear marker of the qualities and gifts he has given us to in order to reconcile and reunite us, as One, to take us back Home.
All sin, all wars, all heartbreak is from not listening, not hearing, not conversing, not sharing, not understanding, and not Loving fully. However difficult or awkward or painful this is. We are inter-dependent on one another’s participation in this. Without this Love we Fall.
It is never a sin to Love, It is only ever a sin to sin!
That last comment was just amazing – makes total sense – I have learnt a lot from that!
I too found that your last comment spoke to me and made good sense.
Having had some time for reflection today, I thought a little more about the creation story. I wonder if we are all just reading too much into it. If I try and see the story as a story (which is how a child sees a story) Would it not be right to believe that this is just a story, not about sin at all. But a tale of Truths about what it is to be human. It cleverly depicts the different qualities in the way that men and women communicate. And although Adam and Eve both denied their responsibility, they Loved each other and chose together to become one in triune.
The Adam and Eve story is about being human, and not understanding the reasons for the dire conditions and absolute grief that we have to live through, under the care of an All Loving and just God. The fear of loosing loved ones, or ourselves dying and leaving behind and alone our loved ones. The pain of childbirth, the ever toil and strife of providing for a family. All these things we would not have to face in such a desperately cutting and tragic way if we remain childless and single.
The temptation of the snake…procreation…(eating from the tree of life) is if you cant resist, our absolute sacred joy of all joys, creating (in the image of God) and it is only when we have done this, that we then have to live with the absolute tragic consequences of our actions, having created children, the pain of childbirth, the strife of providing for our families, our mammoth responsibilities, the annihilating hurting of ultimate death and loss, are not ever something I ever felt or considered (in such the same excruciating way) before I had children of my own.
I know that as a child you eventually may loose your parents, but it is not until after I gave birth to my own children, that the intense pain of life and death, of loving so deeply, and fearing loosing those whom each life, you Love so intensely and so very much more than you could ever think of loving your own life. The pain of loss is magnified so immensely, that it can be contradictorily our biggest blessing, and our biggest tragedy ever.
And today it is that, and not sin, that I think the fall is about.
Reading this post made a lot of sense and helped. I’ve had issues come up repeatedly lately where I’m forced to depend on others. I’ve always felt that I should do everything myself and be a help to others. Instead of being a help to others, I’m the one that seems to keep needing help. I had an injury yesterday and here I am needing others to take care of everything while I heal. It’s rather frustrating, but I think there must be a reason for it.