A story for every day...
The lumberjack in Heaven.
A lumberjack was in the service of a prince. As he worked, he cursed Adam and Eve for breaking such an easy commandment and thus causing the misery of mankind. “If it weren’t for your foolishness, me and my wife would not have been so miserable.” The prince heard him and said, “Well, let’s see, from now on I will treat you and your wife as princes: you will be almost as happy as Adam and Eve were in paradise. But the time of trial will come.” The happy couple was installed in a beautiful house, dined daily with the prince; in a word, knew no more worry or misery. The day of trial came. On a festive day the prince had a rich dinner served, and after the dessert a covered dish was brought in. He said, “You may taste all the food except the covered dish. If you fail to obey your happiness is ruined.” Whereupon he departed. The two spouses would have liked to know what the mysterious dish contained. Finally, curiosity won out. The woman lifted the lid of the dish and a little bird flew out. Shortly afterwards the prince returned and drove them out of his palace.
The feudal lord.
Lords were granted a large estate by the emperor on condition that they were loyal vassals. If the vassal disobeyed his suzerain, the latter took back the fief and punished him with exile. The children of the unfaithful lord were doomed to misery because of their father’s fault. They could no longer inherit the estate their father had owned. Their father only passed on to them poverty and dishonor.
So it is with us. Our first parents lost their supernatural privileges, that’s why we don’t have them anymore. Moreover, they were weakened in soul and body: they passed on this weakness to us. What is incomprehensible to us is that we also inherit their sin: this is an impenetrable mystery of our faith.
