Friday, December 15, 2006

New Eve

Michelangelo's Creation of Eve
Mary has been long called the New Eve because the story of creation, which did not end well for humans because of our First Parents, was reversed and redeemed by the story of Jesus, who became one of us through his mother, Mary of Nazareth.

St. Irenaeus, the 2d-century Bishop of Lyon, offered a litany of parallels between Mary and Eve. It is found in one of his extensive and very well known writing, Against Heresies. The Office of Readings in today's Liturgy of the Hours offers that selection for our meditation.

Irenaeus' words may be found near the end of the Office of Readings at this link. The reading from Irenaeus follows the psalm and the first reading, which is taken from scripture.

No comments: