Genesis tells us “God created the heavens and the earth” In the Beginning Genesis tells us “God created the heavens and the earth”

Days 1-3: Creating Form Day 1: Time Day 2: Space Day 3: Life God said “Let there be Light” God created day and night Day 2: Space God created the sky and the sea Day 3: Life God created the land and the vegetation God created a world fit to live in.

Days 4-6:Creation of the rulers of the environments Day 4: God created the sun to rule the day, and the moon and stars to shine at night. Day 5: God created the birds and the fish to fill up the sky and the sea. Day 6: God created beasts of the field, and human beings to live on land with its vegetation.

The Seventh Day God Rested The Hebrew word that means “to swear a covenant” is based on the Hebrew word for seven. Someone who said “I swear a covenant” in Hebrew was literally saying “l seven myself”. So in creating the world in seven days, God was swearing a covenant with the universe

Seventh Day (cont.) If God stopped on Day 6 we would only be slaves and private property of God. However, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy and rested from work. God invited us into that rest because the rest represents the covenant relationship that God established with his creation.

All of creation is a great temple for the worship of God the Creator. The revelation of creation is inseparable from the revelation and forging of the covenant between God and his people. (ccc 288) Creation is revealed as the first step towards this covenant and first expression of God’s universal Love. (Gn 15:5; Jer 33:19-26)

The Creation of Human Beings in the Image of God The very last act of creation God said… “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion… What does it mean to say man was created in God’s image & likeness ?

4 determining factors man possesses being in God’s image God is our Father Were created for a loving relationship with God, our father We are like God Because our human nature has 3 characteristics that are similar: 1) intelligence, 2) free-will, & 3) the capacity to love. Our love in our families is an image of the love and life of the Trinity- Father, Son, & Holy Spirit

(cont.) 4 determining factors man possesses being in God’s image Human life possesses great sacredness Old or young, healthy or sick, every person is sacred because they are in God’s image. Our work has special value. Our dignity does not come from what we do. Our work has dignity because we bear the image of God and bring his presence and love into our work. We are called to work in imitation of God our Father

The Marriage Covenant Not only did God create us in his image, but he also created us male & female . God created man & woman as equal but complementary persons, meant to join in a family relationship sealed by the marital covenant. Marriage is not man made. Marriage was divinely instituted the very moment man was created male & female.

The Marriage Covenant (cont.) In Matthew 19, when the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce – Jesus went right back to Genesis. Jesus said “what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” God is the one who creates marriage. Marriage was created to be permanent, lifelong, and indissoluble. Marriage was created to be fruitful.

God our Father Genesis chp.1 speaks of God as Elohim, God the Creator Genesis chp. 2 begins to call God Yahweh, God the Covenant Lord The difference in names reveals God’s plan to draw his creation closer to himself. Yahweh suggests God’s covenant love, the love of the father for us, his children.

Genesis 3 The Fall The Hebrew word used to describe the “serpent”, Nahash implies something much more deadly than a garter snake. Nahash is used throughout the O.T. in reference to a powerful evil creature. Num. 21 describes them as “fiery serpents” Is. 27:1 a great mythical dragon – Leviathon Job 26:13 uses Nahash as sea monsters

The Serpent - Nahash Nahash- wherever it appears the word usually refers to something that bites. The Serpent here is more than just subtle: It is deadly, a liar, and a murderer. “the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8)

Spiritual Death Adam & Eve lost supernatural life Original holiness and original justice What the Serpent said was true but in a twisted way. They did not die physically- but they did die spiritually. Catechism states: Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield, man has to struggle to do what is right at a great cost to himself aided by God’s grace in order to achieve his own inner integrity.

The 1st Gospel (protoevangelium) God cursed the serpent, with a promise to send one who will conqueror the serpent. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed & her seed: he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel”. Gen 3:15 Early Christian writers called this the “first Gospel” & the “ seed of the woman” as God’s promise of a future Redeemer.

The Curse: Sin & Suffering Adam/Eve’s sin brought suffering into the World. All good things God planned for us is now tainted by suffering. Family life -an image of God’s love, now will be marred by sin. The transmission of Original Sin is a mystery that we cannot fully understand. O.S. is a sin “contracted” and not “committed” A state & not an act (ccc 404)

Evil entering the World After Adam & Eve were thrown out of paradise, they had two sons, Cain & Abel. Cain kills Abel out of envy.