God didn’t want to give Adam and Eve the bare minimum. Like any loving parent, He wanted them to thrive, so alongside the natural gifts that make us human (our intellect and will), He gave them preternatural gifts: complete mastery over their passions, a clear knowledge of Him, and freedom from death. He also gave them something even greater, a supernatural gift beyond anything creatures could earn for themselves: sanctifying grace, God’s own life poured into their souls, making it possible for them to live in friendship with him forever.

The only thing God asked in return was that Adam and Eve accept these gifts, and they showed that acceptance through a simple act of obedience. When they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit, they were saying no to a relationship with God. He respected that choice, painful as it was, and Adam and Eve lost the preternatural and supernatural gifts for themselves and for every generation after them. What we inherit isn’t guilt for their sin, but the absence of the life of grace that was meant to be there. We’re still made in God's image and remain fundamentally good, but that friendship with Him is missing from birth.

This is where Christ comes in. Because God is infinitely good, no finite human effort could repair what was broken. Only God Himself could restore us to grace, which is exactly what Jesus did through his death and resurrection. Through baptism, we’re brought back into that state of sanctifying grace and can once again journey toward heaven. The preternatural gifts, though, remain unrestored, which is why life still involves suffering, temptation, and death. His grace meets and matures us in that struggle.

Discussion questions

How were Adam and Eve different from everyone who came after them?

God gave Adam and Eve three types of gifts to help them reach heaven: natural gifts, preternatural gifts, and supernatural gifts. Can you explain what each of the gifts is for and how they help human beings reach heaven?

What were the consequences of Adam and Eve’s original sin that still affect us today? Why do the consequences of Adam and Eve’s rejection of God get passed on from generation to generation until today?

We often experience an interior struggle in front of temptations both big and small. What ways can I have a better chance at choosing the right thing to do in front of these challenges?

Why is the sacrament of baptism so powerful?