See, then, what caused Eve’s sin.  She went into the dangerous occasion, and was admiring the forbidden fruit when the tempter came.  She listened to him, yielded to his wicked suggestions, and sinned.  So will it be with us if through curiosity we desire to see or hear things forbidden; for once in the danger the devil will soon be on hand to tempt us—­not visibly indeed, for that would alarm us and defeat his purpose, but invisibly, like our guardian angels; for the devil is a fallen angel who still possesses all the characteristics of an angel except goodness.  But this is not all.  Eve not only took and ate the fruit herself, but induced Adam to do likewise.  Most sinners imitate Eve in that respect.  Not satisfied with offending God themselves, they lead others into sin.

Why should the devil tempt us?  God created man to be in Heaven, but the fallen angels were jealous of man, and tempted him to sin so that he too should be kept out of Heaven and might never enjoy what they lost; just as envious people do not wish others to have what they cannot have themselves.

44 Q. What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin?  A. Adam and Eve on account of their sin lost innocence and holiness, and were doomed to sickness and death.

They were innocent and holy because they were the friends of God and in a state of grace, but by their sin they lost His grace and friendship.  “Doomed” means sentenced or condemned.  The first evil result, then, of Adam’s sin was that he lost innocence and made his body a rebel against his soul.  Then he was to suffer poverty, hunger, cold, sickness, death, and every kind of ill; but the worst consequence of all was that God closed Heaven against him.  After a few years’ trial, as we said, God was to take him into Heaven; but now He has closed it against Adam and his posterity.  All the people in the world could never induce God to open it again; for He closed it in accordance with His promise, and man was an exile and outcast from his heavenly home.

45 Q. What evil befell us on account of the disobedience of our first parents?  A. On account of the disobedience of our first parents we all share in their sin and punishment, as we should have shared in their happiness if they had remained faithful.

Does it not seem strange that we should suffer for the sin of our first parents, when we had nothing to do with it?  No.  It happens every day that children suffer for the faults of their parents and we do not wonder at it.  Let us suppose a man’s father leaves him a large fortune—­houses, land, and money—­and that he and his children are happy in the enjoyment of their inheritance.  The children are sent to the best schools, have everything they desire now, and bright hopes of happiness and prosperity in the future.  But alas! their hopes are vain.  The father begins to drink or gamble, and soon the great fortune is squandered.  House after house is sold and dollar after dollar spent,