Chair of St. Peter at Antioch

In the Catechism, we learn that humanity’s first disobedience was influenced by Satan, a fallen angel who, with other demons, freely and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. Satan’s deceptive seduction led man to disobey God, showing the grave harm of his lies and opposition to God’s kingdom. Yet the devil’s power is not infinite: he is a creature and cannot prevent the building up of God’s reign. For Catholic families, these truths encourage watchfulness in the face of temptation and offer reassurance that, even when evil causes real spiritual and indirect physical harm, God’s providence continues to guide human history, and God works for good with those who love him.

In these passages, the Catechism teaches that God created man in his image and established him in friendship with himself, a friendship lived through free and trusting submission to God. In the first sin, man lost trust in his Creator, disobeyed God, and chose himself over God. This disobedience brought painful consequences: the loss of original holiness, fear of God, broken harmony within the human person, tensions between man and woman, alienation from creation, and death. Scripture and the Church’s Tradition also recall that sin continues throughout human history. As we reflect on these truths together, we can remember our need to trust God’s goodness, respect the limits of our creaturely freedom, and seek harmony in our relationships.