ADVENTAdvent is a word derived from combining two Latin words. Those

words are ad and venire. Ad is the equivalent of the English word to.Venire may be freely translated into English as coming or arrival.

The word, in the Roman Catholic Church’s usage, refers to the firstof the seasons in the liturgical year. That season is the period of timethat starts from the first of the four Sundays immediately precedingDecember 25 of every year.

The season serves as a preparation for the celebration of the firstcoming of Christ, the Savior of mankind. It was the historical birth ofthe Incarnate Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. That birthhappened almost two tousand years ago in a small town calledBethlehem in Judah, the southern part of the present-day Israel.

It is a season of joyous expectation for the reign of peace that willbe realized by redemption from the slavery of sin that engulfed mankindafter the fall of the first man and woman. Said redemption wasaccomplished by Christ on the cross comparable to a tree ever full offruits available for all of us, fruits that are ours for the picking.

The season also serves as preparation for the final coming of thesame Christ as Judge of all men and women.

Christ ascended to heaven after having accomplished ourredemption. He left the tree ever full of fruits so that we can freelypick from it, eat of it and get nourished. He left us the fruits of ourredemption for our nourishment. We are all expected to eat of thosefruits regularly.

Those fruits are the sacraments.The sacrament of Reconciliation serves as cleanser of our soul. It

frees us from the stains of the sins we have committed. It regains, forus, the lost sanctifying grace. This sacrament enables us to be at peace,once again with God our Father.

The other sacraments are also sources of sanctifying grace for us.They are for nourishment and/or strengthening of the soul. They areall aimed at preparing us for meeting our Lord as Divine Judge at theend of time, nay at the end of our time here on earth.

Advent, then, is a fitting season for preparing to celebrate Christmasbut also a season to prepare ourselves for our own personal meetingwith the Lord our Judge. Advent, in other words, is a call for us toscrutinize ourselves so that we may traverse the right path all the daysof our lives.

--Fr Romy de los Santos27 November 2011

The Way of the Lord“In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!

Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!Every valley shall be filled in,

every mountain and hill shall be made low;The rugged land shall be made a plain,

the rough country, a broad valley.” (Isaiah 40: 3-4)

Our subject matter last week was about the meaning of the wordparables. We also offered a few words about the parable of the yeast.

Here is another parable. This time, it is from the prophet Isaiah.The desert was, and is still, commonplace in the vicinity of the Holy

Land. Looking towards the east while at the eastern borders of theplace, one sees a vast desert.

The ramparts of the ancient city of Jerusalem had a gate along theeastern portion. It was made for the entrance of the Messiah when Hewould come. That gate was also referred to as Golden Gate, a name fitfor the passage of the Messiah at His most awaited entrance into thecity. Said gate was preserved until the time of Christ and beyond. WhenJesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem, which we celebrate on PalmSunday, He could have actually passed through that gate. Many scholarsof Sacred Scriptures believe so since He was then coming from Bethany,a small town located on the east of Jerusalem.

Was the building of that gate influenced by the prophet Isaiah?Why was it built along the eastern side of the walls?Isaiah was actually referring to the way that the Messiah will pass

in His coming. He was pointing to the east, if we will consider theverse above literally, as the direction from which He would have come.

Those lines, however, were lines of a parable. There is a deepermeaning more than a literal one.

The desert is our hearts, nay our individual selves. It is wastelandbecause of our sinfulness. A straight path must be prepared, that is, wemust be free from evil deeds and habits.

Our false sense of shame, also known as shyness, must be overcome.Shyness can easily develop into fake humility. But at the same time,we should be watchful lest we become proud of ourselves.

In the unfolding of history, in fact, those words of the prophet cameto be understood as referring to the work reserved for St. John theBaptist.

We are truly prepared for Christmas if we are reconciled with God.We have the whole season of Advent to do this. Have we started? Arewe progressing steadily?

--Fr Romy de los Santos4 December 2011

Ang Daraanan ng Panginoon“Ipaghanda si Yahweh ng daan sa ilang;Isang patag at matuwid na lansangan para sa ating Diyos.Tambakan ang mga lambak,Patagin ang mga burol at bundokAt pantayin ang mga baku-bakong daan.” (Isaias 40: 3-4)

Kahulugan ng salitang talinghaga ang paksa natin noong nakaraanglinggo. Bahagyang ipinaliwanag din natin ang talinghaga tungkol salebadura.

Narito pa ang isang talinghaga mula naman sa aklat ni propeta Isaias.Karaniwang tanawin noon, hanggang ngayon, ang disyerto malapit

sa Lupang Banal. Kung nasa silangang hangganan ka ng lugar na iyonat tumingin ka sa gawing silangan ay malawak na disyerto angmatatambad sa mga mata mo.

Ang mataas na bakod ng lumang lunsod ng Jerusalem ay maytarangkahan sa dakong silangan. Iyon ay sadyang ginawa para sapagpasok ng Mesiyas sa Kanyang pagdating. Tinatawag din iyongGintong Tarangkahan, katawagang nababagay sa daraanan ng Mesiyassa pinakaaasam na pagpasok Niya sa lunsod. Nanatili ang tarangkahangiyon, hindi lamang, hanggang sa panahon ni Kristo. Nang si Jesus aymatagumpay na pumasok sa Jerusalem (ipinagdiriwang natin tuwingLinggo ng Palaspas) ay malamang na doon dumaan. Ito’ypinaniniwalaan ng maraming mananaliksik ng mga Banal na Kasulatansapagka’t nagmula Siya noon sa Betania, isang bayan sa silangan ngJerusalem.

May impluensiya ba si propeta Isaias sa pagkakagawa ngtarangkahang iyon?

Bakit sa gawing silangan iyon ginawa?Ang tinutukoy ni propeta Isaias ay ang daraanan ng Mesiyas sa

Kanyang pagdating. Silangan ang kanyang tinutukoy na panggagalinganng darating na Mesiyas kung ang papansinin lamang natin ay ang literalna pagpapakahulugan ng mga talata sa itaas nito.

Ang mga talatang iyon ay talinghaga. Mas malalim ang kahulugankaysa sa literal na pagka-unawa.

Ang disyerto’y ang ating mga sarili. Walang sumisibol na kapaki-pakinabang na damo o halaman dahil sa ating pagkamakasalanan. Isangtuwid na landas ang dapat ihanda. Dapat nating alisin sa ating mgasarili ang masasamang gawa at ugali.

Ang maling pagkamahiyain ay dapat nating lupigin. Maaaringhumantong iyon sa paimbabaw na pagpapakababa. Gayunman, dapatdin naman tayong maging mapagmatyag baka naman mahulog tayo sapagyayabang o pagpapalalo.

Sa paglipas ng panahon ay matutuklasang ang talinghagang iyon aynagpapahayag ng magiging gawain ni San Juan Bautista.

Tunay tayong nakahanda para sa Pasko kung tayo’y nakapagbalik-loob sa Diyos. Ang buong panahon ng Adbiyento ay pagkakataon natinpara dito. Nakapagsimula na ba tayo? Nagpapatuloy ba tayo sa atingnasimulang pagbabalik-loob?

--Fr Romy de los Santos4 Disyembre 2011

DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM(SA IISANG BANAL NA SIMBAHAN NG DIYOS)

1. Ano ba ang Dei Ecclesiam Unam Sanctam o DEUS?Ang DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM ay pangalan ng isang

samahan o asosasyong nasa talaan ng Securities and ExchangeCommission at nakatala bilang (Sec Registration Number)CN200602370. Kilala rin ang samahang ito sa mga unang tittik(initials o acronym) ng pangalan sa wikang Latin na DEUS.

2. Sinu-sino ang mga bumubuo ng samahang Dei EcclesiamUnam Sanctam o DEUS?

Ang DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM ay binubuo ng mga lalaki atbabaeng Katoliko na handa at nais magbigay ng kanilangmakakaya sa alinman sa mga anyong talino, panahon at yaman okumbinasyon ng dalawa o higit pa.

3. Kailan at saan itinatag ang samahang ito?Ang Pulong-Pagtatatag (organizational meeting) ng samahan

ay ginanap noong ika-30 ng Enero, 2006 sa isang muntingtanggapan sa KV International Manpower Services, Inc. na nasapanulukan ng J.P.Rizal at E. Zobel sa Makati city.

4. Ano ba ang layunin ng DEUS?Ang mga layunin ng samahan ay ang mga sumusunod:

a. Maglaan ng sapat na panahon para sa sama-samang pag-aaral ng mga banal na Kasulatan at Tradisyon ng Banalna Simbahang Katolika Apostolika Romana, angSimbahang itinatag ng ating Panginoong Jesukristo.

b. Lapitan ang lahat ng taong maaaring maabot upangmaitanim sa kanilang isipan ang mga aral ng atingPanginoong Jesukristo na matatagpuan sa mga Banal naKasulatan at Tradisyon ng Inang Simbahan na masusingnatutunan at naintindihan sa ilalim ng pamamatnubayng Kaparian ng Simbahan.

k. Dalhin ang lahat ng taong iyon sa Simbahang itinatag ngating Panginoong Jesukristo at mang-akit atmagpalaganap ng pagkakaisa

d. Tumulong sa Kaparian sa pagtuturo ng mga utos ni Kristona walang iba kundi ang pag-ibig sa Diyos at sa kapwa-tao.

e. Mangalap at tumanggap ng mga donasyon para sa mgalayuning malinaw na ilalahad ng Lupon ng mga Katiwala(Board of Trustees) sa pana-panahong kakailanganin.

g. Hikayatin ang mga mananampalatayang may mabutingkalooban na tuwirang mag-abuloy sa Simbahan o sa

alinmang institusyong pangkawanggawa sa loob ngSimbahan.

3. Paano nabuo ang mga layuning nabanggit sa itaas?Nabuo ang mga layuning nasa itaas nito sa tulong ng

inspirasyong nagmumula sa pagnanais ng ating PanginoongJesukristo na magkaroon ng iisa lamang Simbahang magtataguyodng Kanyang misyon ng pagliligtas. Mapapatunayan natin ito sapamamagitan ng sumusunod:

I have other sheepthat do not belong to this fold.I must lead them, too,and they shall hear my voice.There shall be one flock then, one shepherd. (NEW

AMERICAN BIBLE JOHN 10:16)Dapat unawain ang talatang ito sa liwanang ng sumusunod na

paliwanag ng nagsalin sa wikang Inggles ng Bibliya.Other sheep: the Gentiles, God’s dispersed children destined to be

gathered into one (11,52). One flock: St. Jerome in the Vulgate translates“one fold,” but there is no evidence in Greek or Latin to support thisreading. Translating the Greek word as “sheep-herd” would bring outthe wordplay involved as the Greek terms for “flock” and “shepherd”are much alike as “sheep-herd” and “shepherd.” (Footnote to NEWAMERICAN BIBLE JOHN 10:16)Idinagdag pa ng ating Panginoong Jesuskristo sa iba pang

bahagi ng Mabuting Balita ang pangungusap na nagsasaad ng:“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste. Any house tornby dissension falls.” (NEW AMERICAN BIBLE LUKE 11:17b-c)

Bilang pagpapasakop ng kanilang kamalayan sa mga bahaging Bibliya na ating nabanggit, ipinahayag ng labindalawangapostol ng ating Panginoong Jesukristo ang kanilangpananampalataya sa ngayon ay kilala na nating may pamagat naSUMASAMPALATAYA at inaangkin din ng mga tagapagtatag ngsamahang DEUS na kanila ring pansarili at pansamahangpagpapahayag ng pananampalataya. Matutunghayan natin iyonsa libis nito.

SUMASAMPALATAYASumasampalataya ako sa Diyos Amang makapangyarihan sa

lahat na may gawa ng langit at lupa.Sumasampalataya naman ako kay Hesukristong iisang Anak ng

Diyos/ Panginoon nating lahat./ Nagkatawang-tao Siya lalang ngEspiritu Santo/ ipinanganak ni Santa Mariang Birhen./Pinapagkasakit ni Poncio Pilato./ Ipinako sa krus/ namatay,inilibing,/ nanaog sa kinaroroonan ng mga yumao./ Nang mayikatlong araw, nabuhay na mag-uli./ Umakyat sa langit/ nalulukloksa kanan ng Diyos Amang makapangyarihan sa lahat./ Doonmagmumulang paririto/ at huhukom sa nangabubuhay atnangamatay na tao.

Sumasampalataya naman ako sa Espiritu Santo/ sa Banal naSimbahang Katolika/ sa kasamahan ng mga banal/ sa ikawawala ngmga kasalanan/ sa pagkabuhay na mag-uli ng nangamatay na tao/ at

sa buhay na walang hanggan. Amen4. Saan matatagpuan ang punong tanggapan ng samahan?Ang punong tanggapan ng samahang ito ay matatagpuan sa E.

Zobel corner J. P. Rizal street, Makati city, Philippines.5. Sinu-sino ang nagsipagtatag ng samahang ito?Ang samahang ito ay itinatag ng isang Pari at mga laykong

pawang mga mamamayang Pilipino. Ang kanilang mga pangalanat tirahan ay ang mga sumusunod: Rev Fr Romeo D de los Santosng 218 I. Mendiola street, Siniloan, Laguna; Bro Romeo P Torresng Rizal street, Pagsanjan, Laguna; Bro Rafael C. Elefante ng1139-A Antipolo street, Makati city; Bro Lamberto C Evangelistang 2625-D Lamayan street, Sta. Ana, Manila; Bro Leandro CEvangelista ng 2621-H Silang street, Sta. Ana, Manila; Bro PedroL Peralta ng Blk2, Lot19, Emerald street, Casa FilipinaRaymundville Executive Village, Brgy. San Antonio, Parañaquecity; Sis Ma Theresa Lilibeth Camposano ng 3438 Torres street,Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Manila; at Sis Alicia U Villamor ng 834 J. P.Rizal street, Makati city

6. Sinu-sino ang mga namumuno sa samahang ito?Ang samahang ito ay pinamumunuan ng limang Trustees bilang

lupon at naglilingkod sa loob ng dalawang taon o hanggang saang kanilang makakapalit ay maihalal sang-ayon sa itinatadhanang mga alituntuning panloob (By-Laws) ng samahan. Sila ay sinaRev Fr Romeo D de los Santos, Chairman; Bro Romeo P Torres,Chief Executive Officer; Bro Rafael C Elefante, Secretary; LeandroC Evangelista, Treasurer at Sis Alicia U Villamor, Auditor.

7. Mayroon bang mga katulungin ang mga trustee ng samahan?Mayroong mga tagapayo ang mga trustee ng samahan at sila

ay ang mga sumusunod: Bro Florencio R Dueñas, Bro LambertoC Evangelista, Bro Pedro L Peralta at Sis Ma Theresa Lilibeth CUy.

8. Paano ba ang pagsapi sa samahang ito?Ang DEUS ay bukas para sa lahat ng mga Katolikong nais

pagyamanin ang kanilang pananampalataya sa pamamagitan ngpag-aaral at pagsasabuhay ng mga itinuro ng ating PanginoongJesukristo at patuloy na itinuturo ng ating Inang Simbahan.Maaaring magsadya sa punong tanggapan o makipag-alam sasinumang pinuno o kasapi ng samahan ang sinumang nais sumapisa samahang ito.

--Fr Romy de los Santos8 Disyembre 2006

ANG KATOTOHANANLahat ng tao sa mundo ay naghahanap ng katotohanan. Ito ang

katotohanan: LAHAT NG SIMBAHANG UMIIRAL SA BUONGMUNDO SIMULA NANG ISILANG SI KRISTO AY PEKE MALIBANSA ISA. Bakit peke? Dahil ang mga iyon ay itinatag ng tao. Iisalamang ang Simbahang itinatag ng Diyos. Ito ang dapat natinalamin. Ito ang dapat natin saliksikin. Nguni’t tutulungan ko kayosa pagsasaliksik sa paghahanap ng katotohanan. Umpisahan natinito sa Bibliya.

Matutunghayan sa Kapitulo 16, Bersikula 16 hanggang 19 ngEbanghelyo ayon kay San Mateo, matapos na sagutin ni Simon angtanong ni Jesus kung Sino ang Anak ng Tao, ang ganito:“Mapalad ka Simon, na anak ni Jonas, sapagkat hindi ang laman atdugo ang nagpahayag nito sa iyo kundi ang Aking Amang nasalangit. Ngayon sinasabi ko sa iyo na ikaw ay Pedro (bato) at saibabaw ng batong ito ay itatayo ko ang aking Iglesia, at di mananaigsa kanya ang mga pintuan ng impiyerno. Ibibigay ko sa iyo angmga susi ng Kaharian ng langit; ano man ang talian mo lupa aytatalian din sa langit, at ano man ang kalagan mo sa lupa aykakalagan din sa langit.”

Ano ang ibig sabihin ng talatang binabanggit sa itaas na ito?Itatayo ni Jesus ang kanyang Iglesia o Simbahan sa ibabaw niSimon na pinangalanan ni Jesus na Pedro. At natupad ang salitangito ng sibatin ng Romanong centurion ang tagiliran ni Jesus atdumaloy mula sa nilikhang sugat ang dugo at tubig. Ang Simbahanni Jesus ay natatag sa araw na iyon, sa araw na dumaloy ang dugoat tubig mula sa katawan ni Jesus. Nangyari ito noong taong 33AD, nang si Jesus ay nakabayubay sa krus.Namatay si Jesus nguni’t nang ikatlong araw ay muli siyangnabuhay. Nagpakita Siya sa Kanyang mga apostoles (San Juan20:19-23) at sinabi ang ganito: “Kung paanong sinugo ako ng Ama,gayon din naman sinusugo ko kayo.” Pagkasabi nito, hiningahansila na ang wika, “Tanggapin ninyo ang Espiritu Santo. Ang mgakasalanan nino man na inyong patawarin ay ipinatatawad sa kanila,at ang mga kasalanan nino man na inyong panatilihin aymananatili.”

Mapapansin ninyo na hiningahan ni Jesus ang kanyang nilalang,ang kanyang Simbahan. Ang Simbahang noon ay iyong mgaapostoles at ilan pang mga tagasunod o disipulo ni Kristo: angtinatawag natin ngayon sa Ingles na “community of the people ofGod.” Ang tao ang bumubuo ng Simbahan, tayong mga tao, athindi isang gusali. Hiningahan ni Jesus ang kanyang Simbahan.Ito ang ikalawang pagkakataon sa Bibliya na hiningahan ng Diyosang kanyang nilalang. Ang unang pagkakataon na hiningahan ngDiyos ang kanyang nilalang ay nang hiningahan sa Adan. Nanghiningahan ng Diyos ang katawan ni Adan ay nagkabuhay ito.Kaya’t nang hiningahan ni Jesus ang kanyang Simbahan ay

nagkabuhay din ito. Kaya’t may buhay ang Simbahang itinatag niJesus. Ang Simbahang ito, na itinatag ni Jesus, ay ang SimbahanKatolika. (Tunghayan ninyo at dasalin ang “Apostles’ Creed” o AngCredo ng mga Apostol).

Halos dalawang libong taon na ngayon ang Simbahan oIglesiang itinatag ni Jesus. Ang lahat ng ibang simbahan o sektang relihiyong natatag pagkatapos ng taong 33AD ay itinatag ng taotulad ng nabangit na natin.

Dapat ba tayong sumapi o sumama sa simbahang tatag ng tao?Di ba dapat ay sa Simbahang itinatag ng Diyos, sa Iglesiangitinatag ng Ating Panginoong JesuKristo – Ang SimbahangKatoliko?

Ang napansin ko sa isang iglesiang itinatag ng tao ay sinasabing kanyang mga kasapi na ang kanilang pinuno ay isa raw angelna ipinadala sa silangan ayon daw sa Bibliya. At ang pinuno nilangito ay pumanaw na at pinalitan ng kanyang anak. Ngayon, ang aponaman ang siyang namumuno sa iglesiang ito. Ang tanong ko ayito: Mayroon bang anghel na namatay o pumanaw? Kahit na siSatanas na isang anghel na sumalungat sa Diyos ay hindi papumapanaw. Hanggang ngayon ay namamayagpag pa siya atpinipilit na ilayo ang tao sa Diyos. Katunayan, pati na ang AtingPanginoong Jesus ay kanyang tinukso, nguni’t hindi siyanagtagumpay.

Ihambing natin ang mga Sekta ng relihiyong ito sa Simbahangitinatag ng Ating Panginoong Jesus. Ibinigay ng Ating PanginoongJesus ang mga susi sa Kaharian ng langit kay San Pedro. Ano angkahulugan nito? Bukod sa kapangyarihan niyang magpapasok ngkaluluwa sa kaharian ng Diyos ay may kapangyarihan siya, si SanPedro at ang mga humalili sa kanya, na gumawa ng alituntunin atpatakaran kung papaano tatanggapin niya ang kaluluwa sa langit.Ito ay katulad din ng isang ama na may hawak ng susi ng kanyangtahanan. Siya ay may kapangyarihang gumawa ng patakaran atalituntunin sa loob ng kanyang tahanan at ito ay dapat tuparin atsundin ng kanyang nasasakupan – ng kanyang butihing may bahayat kanyang mga anak o sinumang kasambahay.

Kung inyong mapapansin din sa pagtatatag ni JesuKristo ngkanyang Simbahan ay binigyan niya ng kapangyarihan si SanPedro (at mga Pari na may ranggong Obispo at Presbitero ngayon)bilang pinuno ng Iglesia na magpatawad sa kasalanan ng tao.Kahit na ang anghel ay hindi binigyan ng ganitong kapangyarihanng Diyos. Nguni’t ang mga pinuno sa Simbahang itinatag niJesuKristo ay binigyan ng ganitong kapangyarihan. SimbahangKatoliko lamang na pinamumunuan ng Santo Papa ang mayganitong kapangyarihan. Ang lahat ng simbahan o iglesiangitinatag ng tao ay walang ganitong kapangyarihan. Kaya’t kungmananatili kayong kasapi sa simbahang itinatag ng tao ay walangkatiyakang makakamit ninyo ang kaluwalhatian ng langit. Handaba ninyong ipakipagsapalaran ang inyong kaluluwa?

Malaki ang kontribusyon ng Iglesia Katolika saPananampalataya. Una, ang gumawa ng Bibliya ay ang SimbahanKatolika. Sabi nga ni Martin Luther, lider ng mga SimbahangProtestante, kung walang Simbahang Katolika ay walang Bibliya.

Nuong umpisa pa lamang ng malayang pag-iral ng Simbahan aynagtatag ang Simbahang Katoliko ng isang panel na binubuo ngmga dalubhasa sa teolohiya at mga wikang klasiko upang tuklasinat piliin iyong mga tunay na kasulatan tungkol sa pananampalataya.Pagkatapos ng matagal na pananaliksik at pag-aaral ay iniharapnila ito sa Santo Papa, si Papa San Bonifacio,P.P. I. Masusingpinag-aralan ito ng Santo Papa. Matapos ang matagal at masusingpag-aaral at sa tulong ng Espiritu Santo ay napagpasiyahan ngSanto Papa na ang mga kasulatang iniharap sa kanya ng panel aykinasihan ng Banal na Espiritu, samakatuwid, ay naaayon sakatotohanan, kaya’t sinabi niya na ito nga ang Bibliya at dapatsundin at paniwalaan ng lahat. At ito ang Bibliyang sinusunod nglahat. Ang orihinal na mga manuskrito ay nakasulat sa Hebreo atGriyego. Ang ating binabasa ngayon ay salin lamang sa ibangwika. Hindi orihinal.

Ikalawang kontribyusiyon ng Simbahang Katoliko ay angkalendaryo – ang Gregorian Calendar, ang kalendaryo ni Papa SanGregorio, P.P. I . Ito ang kalendaryong ginagamit ng maraming lahisa mundo.

Ang alituntunin ng demokrasiya ay kontribyusiyon din ngSimbahang Katoliko. Bago lumaganap sa iba’t ibang panig ngdaigdig ang mga apostol ni JesuKristo ay pumili sila ng kahalili niJudas Iscariote. Ang napili nila sa isang botohan ay si San Matiaskaya’t naging labindalawa uli sila. Bakit labindalawang apostoles?dahil kinakatawan nila ang labing dalawang tribo ng Israel (twelvetribes of Israel-iyong labing dalawang anak ni Jacob) ang bayangunang pinili ng Diyos.

Ano naman ang kontribusyon ng ibang sekta ng relihiyon?Nada. Wala. Maliban sa paninira sa mga itinuturo ng Simbahangitinatag ng Ating Panginoon at paninira rin ng mga estatuwa ng mgataong malapit sa Ating Panginoong Jesus. Iyon lamang angkanilang malaking kontribusyon. Tama ba ito?

Kaya’tInaanyayahan kayo na sumapi sa DEI ECCLISIAM UNAM

SANCTAM (DEUS), natatanging samahan ng Simbahang Kristiyanosa buong mundo na hindi humihingi ng limos para sa sarilingsamahan. Ang samahang ang tanging layunin ay ipamulat sa lahatang kahalagahan ng pananatiling kasapi sa Simbahang itinatag ngDiyos halos dalawang libong taon na ngayon (ca. 2000 years ago)ang nakalilipas.

Ang Simbahang di tulad ng ibang sekta ng relihiyon na itinataglamang ng tao: ang Iglesia ni Cristo, ang Born Again (daw) nangayon ay tinatawag na Jesus is Lord at ilan pang Sekta ngRelihiyon.

Kaya’t kung susunod ang mga tao sa ipinangangaral at itinuturong Simbahang itinatag ng Diyos ay nakatitiyak sila ng kaligtasandahil sa sinabi ng Panginoong Hesus na “sino mang patawarinninyo sa lupa ay patatawarin din sa langit at ang sino mang talianninyo sa lupa ay tatalian din sa langit.”(Matthew 16:16-19) at dahildin sa si San Pedro, ang unang Papa ng Simbahang itinatag ni

Hesus, ay siyang may hawak ng susi ng langit.

Inaanyayahan namin kayong sumapi sa DEUS.

Naghahanap kami ng mga kabataang hahalili sa amin.(ITO ANG KAIBAHAN NG SAMAHANG ITO – ANG PAMUMUNOAY HINDI MINAMANA NG MGA ANAK TULAD SA ILANG SEKTANG RELIHIYON AT SAMAHANG PULITIKA O POLITICALDYNASTY)

TUMAWAG SA landlines 710 5679; 890 3253 ; 354 1215 O SA cellphones 09179280620; O 9206964748.

O mag-email sa: freeworkers@yahoo.com

Bro Romeo P TorresChief Executive Officer

DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM

JESUS SPEAKSAND SO WE MUST LISTEN !!!

There are many in our midst whom Jesus referred to as “theymay look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but notunderstand.” (Mark 4:12) And so Jesus said in Mark 8:18 “Do youhave eyes and not see, ears and not hear?These refers to those who are now undermining the power thatJesus gave to His disciples and are now canonized as Saints by theChurch founded by Him. Remember what Jesus said to hisdisciples (now Saints of the Church) in John 16:23 “Amen, amen, Isay to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will giveyou.” And John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked anything in myname, ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be complete.”

And so Jesus gave his disciples authority to drive unclean spiritsand to cure every disease and every illness and to drive outdemons. (Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:15; Luke 9:1)

Therefore, the Church, the Catholic Church has beenencouraging the faithful to ask the Saints to intercede in their behalfbecause Jesus explicitly promised them that whatever they, theSaints, ask in His name, Jesus’ name, will be granted. Theenemies of the Church, and we can rightly say, the enemies ofJesus close their eyes to this promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ, notfor the sake of the children of God but for their own selfish interest.

So Jesus warned them in no uncertain term in Luke 10:16 that“whoever listens to you (the saints) listens to me. Whoeverrejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects theone who sent me.” Therefore those who refuse to listen to Jesus’disciples, now Saints of the Church, rejects Jesus and ultimately,rejects His Father in heaven. Are we, you and I, ready and willing toreject the saints for the sake of our religious leaders who may havesome ulterior motive and risk rejecting Jesus and His Father inheaven?

Think hard, pray hard that you will know the truth and knowingthe truth will set you free from the false teachings of whom Jesusreferred to as “those false prophets, who come to you in sheep’sclothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.” Jesus, therefore,founded His Church, the Catholic Church, on Peter, the first Pope,two thousand years ago (Matthew 16:17-18) to protect you fromthese “ravenous wolves.” God bless you all.

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Bro Romeo P TorresChief Executive Officer

DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM

The Book of Beginninga comparative reading of the translations

THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE and JERUSALEM BIBLE

Fr Romeo D de los Santos

IntroductionThe first five books, also referred to as Pentateuch, that we find in

the library called BIBLE used to be taken as having been written by adescendant of Jacob (later Israel). We mean the descendant who, thoughborn of Levite parents, was raised as an Egyptian prince. His namewas Moses. We can read about him in the book of EXODUS.1

This view about the authorship of the Pentateuch had to be modifiedwith the advent of modern science, particularly, hermeneutics or thescience of interpretation.1a It was found out that several hagiographerswrote a lot of the books of the BIBLE, that is to say that a single book,at times, had been penned by more than one hagiographer.

This reality became more pronounced, even obvious, after carefulscrutiny of the Sacred Texts. A lot of sources have already beenidentified by the scholars of Sacred Scriptures. Among them are theso-called traditions.

THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY published Fr.Eugene H. Maly’s article about four of the known traditions. Thosetraditions are orally transmitted literary pieces which had become sourcematerials for the history of Israel. Some of them were stories, primtivesongs, oracles, etymologies or histories of linguistic forms,1b andlegends.

The Yahwist tradition is so-named and is readily identifiable becauseof its out of date use of the word Yahweh. Such use was ananachronism1c because Yahweh, as a Hebrew name for God, was to berevealed later to Moses. Anthropomorphism1d was another characteristicof this tradition. This tradition extended as far back as the beginningof created beings.

It can also be noticed that in the Yahwist tradition, there was glaringpreference of a younger son over the first born. It has preserved, for us,the fact that the tribe of Judah was favored in the amphictyony.1e

The word Elohim was carefully used in another tradition. This gaverise to its name: Elohist tradition. Its earliest account was aboutAbraham and God’s covenant with the descendants of Jacob that wasconsidered a form of climax for this tradition. Sacred Scriptures’scholars trace the origin of this tradition to the northern kingdom roughly

after 922 BC. This tradition presented God as speaking to men in manyvaried ways. Those ways excluded the taking of a human form by God,a means that was noticeable in the Yahwist tradition. Morality wasconsidered in stricter manner in this tradition than in the Yahwist.

Some scholars suspect that the Elohist tradition also containednarratives about events before Abraham. This could hardly be verified,however, because those naratives could have probably been absorvedinto the Yahwist tradition. Nevertheless, some theological insights inthe prepatriarchal narratives show traces of the Elohist tradition.

It is easier to identify the Deuteronomic tradition. The name suggeststhat it is the source of the book of DEUTERONOMY. This does notmean that there are no other books traceable to this tradition. The booksof JOSHUA, RUTH, JUDGES, the two books of SAMUEL and thetwo books of KINGS are referred to as deuteronomic history books.

The Priestly tradition is attributed to the priests who maintain thatJerusalem is the proper place of worship of Yahweh. It is the source ofthe whole book of LEVITICUS and some portions of other booksincluded in the Pentateuch.

These traditions are now in the form written materials carefullypenned by scribes for purposes of practical preservation.

Please read, for more information, some portions of Fr. Eugene H.Maly’s article2 in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.

Our present concern is the BIBLE’s first of the five books or thePentateuch. That book is entitled GENESIS, a Greek word whichmeans “in the beginning.” We will notice that the book has beencomposed of portions taken from the Priestly, Yahwist and Elohisttraditions. The Priestly tradition supplied some sort of chronology tothe events freely narrated by the Yahwist and Elohist traditions.

Some caution must be sounded regarding the use of the word“history” in referring to the narratives in the first eleven chapters ofthe book of Genesis. We cannot read GENESIS and find out how oldis the created heaven and earth. Illustration of the plan of God wasgiven more value in that book than strict chronological precision.

Fr. Eugene H. Maly wrote something about the composition,“history” and meaning3 of that first book in the BIBLE. That piece ofwriting may be read in the article entitled Genesis published also inTHE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.

NOTES1. Please see EXODUS 2:1-9 1a. Please see MERRIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS1b. Please see IBID. 1c. Please see IBID. 1d. Please see IBID. 1e. Please see IBID.2. Eugene H. Maly, Introduction to Pentateuch, THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY - Volume I,

Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. and Roland E. Murphy, O.Carm. (Eds.), (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968), 1:13-17.

3. Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:2-8.

Primitive History (aversio a Deo)The time from the beginning of everything, including human life,

to that of Abraham may not be traced through recorded materialsfamiliar to modern historians. Neither manuscripts nor documents thatthe modern historians will properly consider as sources or witnessesof the past events were uncovered so far. What are available, if ever,are excerpts from folklore, or legends or traditions that were handeddown from generation to generation. Hence we have the Yahwist,Elohist, Priestly and Deuteronomic traditions to talk about.

The first eleven chapters of the book of GENESIS are alsoconsidered to contain narratives of movement from a very closerelations of God with man towards a gap that was continuouslywidening (aversio a Deo in Latin) on account of man’s transgressions.Sin is comparable to a vacuum in between God and man. Yes, sin isnegative, therefore, abhorrent to God who is all good.

Man must realize his obligation to lead a life in accordance with theDivine Will hence he has to be chastised from time to time forwrongdoings.

Man must realize that God, who created him, wants him to be happyin his presence.

Man must realize that God wants to share His love with him in Hisabode in heaven.

These can only be possible if he abides with His Will.

The Stories of CreationThe first item that we may read as we open the BIBLE is a narrative

of how we, everything we see and those that our eyes cannot perceivehappened to be around. There are two versions of this item: one comingfrom the Priestly tradition and the other from the Yahwist tradition.

It is relevant for us, at the moment, to bear in mind that the Priestlyand the Yahwist traditions may be identified as follows:

Priestly Tradition. The ... concern for liturgy, to the priests ofJerusalem accounts for its title, “Priestly” (P). ... Its style is abstractand redundant ... fond of genealogies, chronological precision, andminute descriptions of ritual elements ... avoids anthropomorphisms...4

Yahwist Tradition. The earliest ... tradition ... called “Yahwist” ...because of its anachronistic use of “Yahweh” ... is more commonlydated about the tenth century in the southern kingdom. ... The constantsdistinguishing the tradition include a characteristic vocabulary, astylistic elegance ... a perceptive psychology, deep theological insights,and a bold use of anthropomorphisms.5

These two are the sources of the first eleven chapters of the book ofGENESIS.

We will present the Sacred Writings taken from the Priestly tradition

in red. Those coming from the Yahwist tradition will be read in adistinctive brown. We shall do this in order to help our readers andusers of this work to be able to readily identify the sources of theparticular portions of the Sacred Texts.

THE PRIESTLY TRADITION’S ACCOUNT OF CREATIONLet us carefully read the opening two verses in the first story of

creation as translated in the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.First Story of Creation. †In the beginning, when God created the

heavens and the earth, †the earth was a formless wasteland, anddarkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.6

The whole story (chapter one, verse one through the first part of versefour, chapter two) is explained through the footnote that follows. “Thissection introduces the whole Pentateuch. It shows how God broughtan orderly universe out of primordial chaos.”7 The explanatory footnotefor the second of the preceding two verses is being presented below.

The abyss: the primordial ocean according to the ancient Semiticcosmogony. After God’s creative activity, part of this vast body formsthe salt-water seas (verses 9 and the following); part of it is the freshwater under the earth (Psalms 33,7; Ezekiel 31,4), which wells forthon the earth as springs and fountains (Genesis 7,11; 8,2; Proverbs 3,20).Part of it, “the upper water” (Psalm 148,4; Daniel 3,60), is held up bythe dome of the sky (Genesis 7,11; 2Kings 7,2.19; Psalms 104,13). Amighty wind: literally, “a wind of God,’ or “a spirit of God”; pleasesee Genesis 8,1.8

Let us compare the preceding official English translation with thatof the BIBLE scholars in Jerusalem.

The first account of creationa

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now theearth was a formless void,b there was darkness over the deep, andGod’s spirit hoveredc over the water.9

The subtitle “The first account of creation,” supplied by the translatorsfor study purposes, describes the whole of the first chapter and the firstthree and a half verses of the second. Let us read about that account inthe footnote that follows.

This narrative, ascribed to the ‘Priestly’ source, is less concreteand more theological than that which follows, 2:4-25; it aims at alogical and exhaustive classification of beings whose creation isdeliberately fitted into the framework of a week which closes with thesabbath day of rest. These beings come forth from nothing at God’scommands; they emerge in order of dignity: man, God’s image andcreation’s king, comes last. The text makes use of the primitive scienceof its day. It would be a mistake to seek points of agreement betweenthis schematic presentation and the data of modern science, but it isimportant to notice that although it bears the stamp of its period thisliterary form conveys a revelation of one, transcendent God, existingbefore the world which he created - a revelation valid for all time.10

The explanatory footnote that the scholars supplied for the noun “void”in verse two of the first chapter of the book of GENESIS may be read

below.In Hebrew tohu and bohu, ‘trackless waste and emptiness’: these,

like the ‘darkness over the deep’ and the ‘waters’, are images thatattempt to express in virtue of their negative quality the idea of ‘creationfrom nothing’ which reaches precise formulation for the first time in2Maccabees 7:28.11

The verb “hovered” in the same verse is also explained by thetranslators employing a footnote. That note is “Like a bird hanging inthe air over its young in the nest, Deuteronomy 32:11.”12

There seems to be no noticeable difference between the twotranslations. They both started with the phrase “In the beginning,” theEnglish translation of the Greek one-word title of the book we arepresently studying. Take note that the custom of the time was to usethe first word of a literary work as its title.

Both translations, moreover, presented chaos or wasteland beforeGod created everything including the one who wrote these words andthe other who, now reads this.

No man can ever boast of an experience of the pre-creation situation.Only God knew about it because He alone existed before creation.Man can only listen to or read whatever may be said or written beforethe Ultimate Cause ever fashioned the first created being.

This knowledge can only be possible to you, him/her and me becauseof Divine Revelation. We have learned about it because God graciouslyallowed us to know it by means of reading and properly understandingHis Written Word.

Now, for further enlightenment about these two verses, please readthe pertinent comment13 written by Fr. Eugene H. Maly and publishedin THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.

Let us proceed reading the Sacred Writings in the English translationentitled NEW AMERICAN BIBLE in order to complete ourinformation regarding the divine work done during the first day.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God sawhow good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness.†God called the light “day,” and the darkness “night.” Thus eveningcame, and morning followed - the first day.14

The explanatory footnote for the last of the preceding three verses isbeing presented below.

In ancient Israel a day was considered to begin at sunset. Accordingto the highly artificial literary structure of Genesis 1,1-2,4a, God’screative activity is divided into six days to teach the sacredness of thesabbath rest on the seventh day in the Israelite religion (2,2 and thefollowing verse).”15

Let us again compare this official English translation of three verseswith that of the scholars in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. God saw that thelight was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light‘day’, and darkness he called ‘night’. Evening came and morning came

the first day.16

We have read the official English translation by the Holy MotherChurch and the translation by the scholars in Jerusalem. The twotranslations of those three verses seem to be identical.

Our times see man’s attempt at illuminating the night and darkeningthe day. Obviously, success is still far from being total. Artificial lightfor one half of the face of the earth will be very expensive andimpractical. Such will be too much for the human sciences and thearts. Heavy curtains or enclosures can only be feasible in isolated areasthat are minute enough in contrast to one half of the planet where welive.

God and only God can effectively illumine a huge place such ashalf the face of planets.

No one else, therefore, but God owns the exclusive prerogative togive a name to light as He did.

If you can spare a minute or two, you may find it worth your whileto take a glimpse of the Sacred Scriptures scholars’ opinion,17

particularly that of Fr. Eugene H. Maly.

Let us proceed reading the Sacred Scriptures in the Englishtranslation entitled NEW AMERICAN BIBLE and find out whathappened on the second day of creation.

Then God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, toseparate one body of water from the other.” And so it happened: Godmade the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from thewater below it. God called the dome “the sky.” Evening came, andmorning followed - the second day.18

Let us compare this English translation with that of the scholarsscrutinizing manuscripts and documents related to or presumed to bethose of the Sacred Scriptures in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let there be a vaultd in the waters to divide the waters intwo’. And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the watersabove the vault from the waters under the vault. God called the vault‘heaven’. Evening came and morning came: the second day.19

The explanatory footnote for the noun “vault” in verse six of the firstchapter of the book of GENESIS is “For the ancient Semites theseeming vault of the sky (the ‘firmament’) was a solid dome holdingthe upper waters in check; the waters of the Deluge poured downthrough apertures in it, 7:11.”20

Vault and dome are always spelled differently. They are, however,used in the translations of the Sacred Scriptures as synonyms.

It is not far from the truth to suppose that every man capable ofreading this piece of writing has looked, with naked eyes, at what liesabove his head outdoors on a clear summer night when the moon isseen at its largest possible visibility. You, my friend, must have noticedthat the horizon looks like a huge inverted bowl, so huge for anyone tosee the edge.

The hagiographer of this portion of the Sacred Scriptures did just

the same. He was not interested in finding out beyond what the nakedeye could see. Such was not possible then. There was no sophisticatedinstruments for watching the heavenly bodies in his time. No one, inthose days even ventured to think about those activity and things.

The opinion of the scholars will surely help us in the properunderstanding of the message contained in the Sacred Texts. Pleasetake a good look at the pertinent portion21 of the article written by Fr.Eugene H. Maly.

My friend, you will surely enjoy following the work of the Lord.Let us proceed reading the English translation of the Sacred Scripturesdone by the members of the Catholic Biblical Association of Americasponsored by the Bishops Committee of the Confraternity of ChristianDoctrine.

Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into asingle basin, so that the dry land may appear.” And so it happened: thewater under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry landappeared. God called the dry land “the earth,” and the basin of thewater he called “the sea.” God saw how good it was.22

Let us compare it, as we had been doing with the other verses, withthe English translation of the scholars in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let the waters under heaven come together into a singlemass,e and let dry land appear’. And so it was. God called the dry land‘earth’ and the mass of waters ‘seas’, and God saw that it was good.23

The explanatory footnote for the noun “mass” in verse nine of thefirst chapter of the book of GENESIS is “‘mass’ thus the Greek;Hebrew ‘place’.”24

Modern scientific discoveries, notwithstanding, we still hear aboutreference to the overhead horizon as either heaven or sky. Let us askourselves. Do we really believe that heaven, the abode of God, is upthere on the sky?

We have entered the third day of creation, the work of the Lord. Wehave learned about the manner in which he completed the job he startedon the previous day.

Now, please spare a moment to read the opinion25 of one of theexperts, the scholars working on the Sacred Scriptures’ manuscripts inJerusalem.

God, obviously, created the surface of the earth with varied levelsin order to have a place where He can gather huge bodies of water.This also explains the mountains and hills, the plateaus and valleys,the sandy shores and marshlands, and the mountain ranges and vastplains. He did all these, and many more, in preparation for His creatureout of love, that is, you, him/her and me, my friend.

Let us continue by reading the English translation of the SacredScriptures done by the members of the Catholic Biblical Associationof America sponsored by the Bishops Committee of the Confraternityof Christian Doctrine.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind ofplant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bearsfruit with its seed in it.” And so it happened: the earth brought forthevery kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earththat bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was. Eveningcame, and morning followed - the third day.26

Comparison is always beneficial when one has to study manuscriptsthrough translations. Let us again compare the work of the CatholicBiblical Association of America with the English translation by theSacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants,and fruit trees bearing fruit with their seed inside, on the earth’. Andso it was. The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed in theirseveral kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their seed inside in theirseveral kinds. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morningcame the third day.27

There are variations in the words and word-arrangements in thetwo translations. Inspite of that fact, they seem to convey the samemessage, that is, trees and fruit trees are among God’s creation. Theybelong, in fact, to the lower form of creatures. They are creatures,definitely, lower than man or other animals.

Please take some time to browse at a portion28 of Fr. Eugene H.Maly’s article in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.

We read in books about, our own, Philippine history that ourancestors worshiped trees and other apparent extra-ordinary things innature. Ours is not really very different situation with those among thedescendants of Jacob for whom the Sacred Scriptures were initiallyaddressed. They were, and still are Asians like us, anyway.

How interesting it is, my friend, to possess knowledge of the mysteryof creation. It is being offered to you, him/her and me, my friend. Allwe have to do is read and understand what we read.

Oh, just out of mere curiosity, my friend. You, probably, are amongthose who have eaten (or at least tasted) cashew nuts. Have you seenthe fruit itself? Did you notice that the seed of that fruit is not withinit? Quite interestingly, God made fruit trees bearing fruits with seedinside on the third day. Don’t you wonder when was cashew createdby God?

Let us proceed reading the Sacred Scriptures in the Englishtranslation entitled NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separateday from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon theearth.” And so it happened: God made the two great lights, the greaterone to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and hemade the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light uponthe earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the lightfrom the darkness. God saw how good it was. Evening came, andmorning followed - the fourth day.29

We have read the official Catholic translation into English of versesfourteen to nineteen of the first chapter of GENESIS. Let us, then,compare it with the English translation by the scholars in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of heaven to divide dayfrom night, and let them indicate festivals, days and years. Let thembe lights in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth.’ And so it was.God made the two great lights:f the greater light to govern the day, thesmaller light to govern the night, and the stars. God set them in thevault of heaven to shine on the earth, to govern the day and the nightand to divide light from darkness. God saw that it was good. Eveningcame and morning came the fourth day.30

The explanatory footnote for the phrase “two great lights” in versesixteen of the book of GENESIS chapter one is “Their names areomitted deliberately: Sun and Moon, deified by all the neighboringpeoples, are here no more than lamps that light the earth and regulatethe calendar.”31

Fr. Eugene H. Maly32 elaborated the subject matter of the precedingfootnote that his fellow scholars in Jerusalem offered for a properunderstanding of the Sacred Texts on our part.

It is obvious that sunlight, especially in the early hours of themorning, benefits man. It is also common knowledge among ricefarmers that the heat coming from the sun is necessary for the newlyharvested rice. Vine dressers know that sunny summer days make thegrapes sweet. These benefits are supposed to be understood as part ofthe worth or use of the sun that God intended for man.

Proper and complete understanding of these and many other benefitscannot and will never point to deification of the sun. Yes, the sun wasworshipped by peoples in the known world of the days of thecomposition of the Sacred Scriptures. What we mentioned as obvious,nowadays, wer still to be found out by man in the course of history.

God’s work continues to unravel before us as we proceed readingthe English translation of the Sacred Writings in the NEWAMERICAN BIBLE.

Then God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of livingcreatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.”And so it happened: God created the great sea monsters and all kindsof swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds ofwinged birds. God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,“Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birdsmultiply on the earth.” Evening came, and morning followed - thefifth day.33

How did the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars translate those verses intoEnglish? Let us read it and compare the English translation above withit.

God said, ‘Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birdsfly above the earth within the vault of heaven’. And so it was. Godcreated great sea serpents and every kind of living creature with whichthe waters teem, and every kind of winged creature. God saw that it

was good. God blessed them saying, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, and fill thewaters of the seas; and let the birds multiply upon the earth’. Eveningcame and morning came the fifth day.34

We can have a better grasp of the message contained in the verseswe have read in English translation if we will browse at the opinion35

of the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars.Animals in the waters, on land and in the air move on their own.

Plants, on the other hand, cannot transfer themselves from one placeto another. Plants are being transferred by man or by lower animals.The ancients knew this much fully well but were not privy to otherknowledge we now have on account of modern scientific findings.The ancients associated life with the ability for local motion.Consequently, they considered plants, not merely lower than animalsbut even without life.

Our contemporaries who call themselves vegetarians, quiteinterestingly, maintain that they do not eat anything with life. Theymust be thinking along the lines of the ancients despite progress inlearning brought about by modern science.

Let us, now, read two more verses from the English translation ofthe Sacred Scriptures in the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of livingcreatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.” Andso it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,and all kinds of creeping things of the earth, God saw how good itwas.36

Let us again compare that English translation of those verses, as wehave been doing, with the English translation by the Sacred Scriptures’scholars in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let the earth produce every kind of living creature: cattle,reptiles,g and every kind of wild beast’. And so it was. God made everykind of wild beast, every kind of cattle, and every kind of land reptile.God saw that it was good.37

The explanatory footnote that the scholars offered for the noun“reptiles” in verse twenty-four of the first chapter of the book ofGENESIS is “Literally ‘that which crawls’ (or ‘glides’, verse 21):not only snakes and lizards but also insects and the smaller animals.”38

The NEW AMERICAN BIBLE translators used “creeping things”while the scholars used “reptiles” in the two translations. The footnotein the JERUSALEM BIBLE explains the slight difference intranslation.

The opinion39 of Fr. Eugene H. Maly, regarding the two verses thatwe have just read, will surely help us in deciphering the message beingdelivered to us.

Modern sciences refer to man as the highest form of animal. Suchreference cannot be coined by science, as we have found out so far,because the concept, highest form of animal, has been hinted way aheadof time by the Priestly tradition.

Have you, my friend, pondered on the reality that is you? You existhere and now in much the same situation as him/her and me. But howdid we come to exist? Let us read two verses from the Englishtranslation of the Sacred Writings in the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.

†Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures thatcrawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image;in the divine image he created him;male and female he created them.40

The explanatory footnote offered by the translators for the first of thepreceding two verses is “Man is here presented as the climax of God’screative activity; he resembles God primarily because of the dominionGod gives him over the rest of creation.”41

Let us, again, compare this English translation of verses twenty-sixto twenty-seven with that of the scholars in Jerusalem.

God said, ‘Let ush make mani in our own image, in the likenessj ofourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds ofheaven, the cattle, all the wild beastsk and all the reptiles that crawlupon the earth’.

God created man in the image of himself,in the image of God he created him,male and female he created them.42

The explanatory footnote for the pronoun “us” that we read as thefourth word of verse twenty-six is being presented below.

It is possible that this plural form implies a discussion betweenGod and his heavenly court (the angels, please see 3:5,22); our textwas thus understood by the Greek version (followed by the Vulgata)of Psalm 8:5 (quoted in Hebrews 2:7). Alternatively, the pluralexpresses the majesty and fullness of God’s being; the common namefor God in Hebrew is Elohim, a plural form. Thus the way is preparedfor the interpretation of the Fathers who saw in this text a hint of theTrinity.43

The sixth word of verse twenty-six is the noun “man” and it is explainedthus: “Collective noun, hence the plural ‘Be masters of’.”44 Theexplanatory footnote for the noun “likeness” that appears as thethirteenth word of verse twenty-six may be read below.

‘Likeness’, by excluding the idea of equality, weakens the force of‘image’, a realistic term (‘something carved’) that implies a physicalresemblance like that between Adam and his sons, 5:3. The relationshipwith God marks man off from the animals: moreover, it involves aseveral similarity of nature: intellect, will, authority - man is a person.It paves the way for a higher revelation: man’s share in the divinenature by virtue of grace.45

The brief explanatory footnote for the clause “all the wild beasts”towards the end of verse twenty-six is “‘All the wild beasts’ Syriac.”46

My friend, please browse at what Fr. Eugene H. Maly has written47

about the two verses we are studying at the moment.Man is a creature of God. Man, however, is special among all

creatures because of God’s design. Man is the only creature that carriesthe Divine Image and likeness. Man is the only creature that has beengiven the breath of life in a very special way.

The care of His other creatures on earth was entrusted by God toman. The psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, chanted man’s God-given dignity. Let us read on that psalm, which, in the English translationby the scholars of the Sacred Scriptures in Jerusalem may be read below.

PSALM 8The munificence of the creator

For the choirmaster On the ...of Gatha Psalm Of David

Yahweh, our Lord,how great your name throughout the earth!

Above the heavens is your majesty chantedb

by the mouths of children, babes in arms.c

You set your strongholdd firm against your foesto subdue enemies and rebels.

I look up at your heavens, made by your fingers,at the moon and stars you set in place -ah, what is man that you should spare a thought for him,the son of man that you should care for him?

Yet you have made him little less than a god,e

you have crowned him with glory and splendour,made him lord over the work of your hands,set all things under his feet,

sheep and oxen, all these,yes, wild animals too,birds in the air, fish in the seatravelling the paths of the ocean.f

Yahweh, our Lord,how great your name throughout the earth!48

The scholars offered several footnotes as helps in the process ofunderstanding the message contained in the preceding psalm. Let usglean on them one at a time. The first is for “Gath” and it reads:“Possibly the harp, or a Philistine melody.”49 The phrase “your majestychanted” at the end of the first line of the second stanza that also endsthe first verse is explained thus: “Text has been corrected ‘may you(singular) give’ Hebrew.”50 The third footnote is for the line “by themouths of children, babes in arms.” the second line of the second stanzaand the first of the second verse. That note reads “Christ quoted thistext when the children had acclaimed his solemn entry into Jerusalem.In the liturgy it is used for the feast of the Holy Innocents (Matthew

2:16).”51 The noun “stronghold” in the third line of the second stanzais also explained by way of a footnote. That note is “That is, thefirmament or heavenly vault (Genesis 1:6) on which stands theimpregnable citadel from which God routs his foes (Micah 1:2; Psalm2:4; 150:1).”52 The word “god” in the line “Yet you have made himlittle less than a god,” the first of the fifth verse and the fourth stanzais explained by way of the footnote that follows.

The author is thinking of man in comparison with the mysteriousbeings that constitute the court of Yahweh, Psalm 29:1 and the followingverse, the ‘angels’ of Greek translation of the Sacred Scriptures andVulgata. Please see Psalm 45:6 and the following verse.53

The linesyou have crowned him with glory and splendour,made him lord over the work of your hands,set all things under his feet,

sheep and oxen, all these,yes, wild animals too,birds in the air, fish in the seatravelling the paths of the ocean.

which are the second line of the fourth stanza through the whole of thefifth stanza, which are verses five through eight, are explained in thefinal footnote that reads “Man, frail yet made in the likeness of God,on the border between the spiritual and material worlds, rules thenatural creation.”54

The scholar’s opinion55 about this psalm is a relevant reading forevery student of the Sacred Scriptures.

Let us, now, read the rest of the first chapter of the book of GENESISin the English translation of the Sacred Scriptures known as the NEWAMERICAN BIBLE.

God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth andsubdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,and all living things that move on the earth.” God also said: “See, Igive you every seed bearing plant all over the earth and every tree thathas seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals ofthe land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawlon the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened.God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.Evening came, and morning followed - the sixth day.56

Let us, also, compare the official Catholic translation into Englishthat we have just read with the English translation by the SacredScriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.

God blessed them, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill theearth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds ofheaven and all living animals on the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I give youall the seed-bearing plants that are upon the whole earth, and all thetrees with seed-bearing fruits; these shall be your food. To all wildbeasts, all birds of heaven and all living reptiles on the earth I give all

the foliage of plants for food.’l And so it was. God saw all he hadmade, and indeed it was very good. Evening came and morning camethe sixth day.57

The explanatory footnote for the statementsBe masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all livinganimals on the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I give you all the seed-bearingplants that are upon the whole earth, and all the trees with seed-bearingfruits; these shall be your food. To all wild beasts, all birds of heavenand all living reptiles on the earth I give all the foliage of plants forfood.58

is “Description of a golden age when men and beasts were at peacewith each other, having plants for their food. Genesis 9:3 marks thebeginning of a new era.”59

The phrases “all living thngs that move on the earth” in the officialEnglish translation and “all living animals on the earth” in the scholarstranslation of the Sacred Scriptures refer to but one reality: the loweranimals, as we refer to them now on account of findings in the scienceof biology. Those realities were referred to in the previous verse as“living creatures.” These are the animals that God placed under man.These are the animals that man must master, that man must responsiblycontrol using the intelligence that God gave him.

Please read the pertinent comment60 of Fr. Eugene H. Maly.We have read about the six working days that God spent to make all

things both seen and unseen. We have read it in the narrative of thePriestly tradition. That is contained in the whole of the first chapter ofGENESIS, the first book in the collection of books called BIBLE.

The conclusion of creation may be read in the beginning of thesecond chapter of the first book in the Sacred Scriptures’ Englishtranslation that is also known as the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had beendoing, he rested on the seventh day and made it holy, because on it herested from all the work he had done in creation.

Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.61

Let us compare what we have just read with the English translationby the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.

Thus heaven and earth were completed with all their array. On theseventh day God completed the work he had been doing. He rested onthe seventh day after all the work he had been doing. God blessed theseventh day and made it holy,a because on that day he rested after allhis work of creating.

Such were the origins of heaven and earth when they were created.62

The explanatory footnote for the clause “God blessed the seventh dayand made it holy” in verse three of chapter two of the book ofGENESIS follows.

The sabbath (shabbath) is of divine institution: on that day Godhimself rested (shabath).63

The official English translation followed the Greek translation by

seventy scholars of the OLD TESTAMENT. The scholars inJerusalem, however, followed the Masoretic Text. The completion ofcreation was the determining factor here. The two translations agreeon the rest after work of creation was completed.

Please take time to read Fr. Eugene H. Maly’s opinion64 regardingthe conclusion of the Priestly tradition’s account of creation.

The Priestly tradition maintains that creation was done in a span ofsix days, or probably a few hours more than six days. God reservedanother day for rest and that day was made holy at the same time.

Take note, my friend, that seven may also mean complete in Hebrewliterature and society. It is not difficult to deduce that the Priestlytradition intended to present a complete cycle involving work and rest.It is paving the way for our present week comprising of six days forour sake and another day for our relationship with God. Our domestichelpers, hopefully, enjoy a day off from work every week. They areentitled to it in much the same fashion as the factory workers and otheremployees in the private sector are entitled to a day off.

The day of rest is not a mere privilege. It is a right of every humanbeing. It is, at the same time, a duty of man to himself.

Let us not forget that we own nothing. We are but stewards of thepossessions that God has entrusted to each one of us. We are butstewards even of our very self. While work is a duty, rest is equally aresponsibility on our very shoulders. We have to take care of our bodiesbecause we are mandated to do by the very owner of it, by God.

No one is allowed to abuse his/her body by working until it wearsout.

No man, male or female, is allowed to treat any human body asthough he/she is the owner of such. Only God is the rightful owner ofall men and He alone has the right to dictate in what way shall everyonewill consider any human being.

God created everything in the order of importance, according to thePriestly tradition, starting from the least to the noblest creature. Manwas created last. God, somehow, also prepared the world for man’suse. God appointed man, being the noblest creature, to be the masterof all creatures on earth.

How do we understand the word master? If man’s behavior will bean indicator, mastery would mean exploitation, destruction, corruption,annihilation of the creatures. These creatures, in the real sense of theword, are supposed to be harnessed and protected by their master.

We, definitely, have something to ponder about. We have somethingto change in our behavior. We have to scrutinize ourselves and eliminatethe destructive attitudes that are inside.

We seem to be destroying our own habitat rather than preserving itfor our benefit and for the benefit of those who will come after us.When will we ever learn?

Will we ever learn and become real masters?NOTES

4. Eugene H. Maly, Introduction to Pentateuch, 1:17a. 5. Eugene H. Maly, Introduction to Pentateuch, 1:14a.

6. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-2 7. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-2:4a8. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:2 9. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-210. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-2:4a11. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:2 12. Ibid.13. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:16a 14. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:3-515. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:5 16. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:3-517. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:17b 18. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:6-819. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:6-8 20. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:621. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:17c 22. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:9-1023. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:9-10 24. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:925. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:18d 26. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:11-1327. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:11-13 28. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:18e29. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:14-19 30. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:14-1931. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:16 32. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:19f33. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:20-23 34. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:20-2335. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:19g 36. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:24-2537. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:24-25 38. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:2439. Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:20h 40. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:26-2741. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:2642. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:26-2743. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:26 44. Ibid. 45. Ibid. 46. Ibid.47. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:20i 48. JERUSALEM BIBLE PSALM 849. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE PSALM 8 50. Ibid. 51. Ibid. 52. Ibid. 53. Ibid. 54. Ibid55. Please see Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., Psalms, THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY - Volume I,

Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. and Roland E. Murphy, O.Carm. (Eds.), (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,Inc., 1968), 35:26

56. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:28-31 57. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:28-3158. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:28b-30a59. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:28b-30a60. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:21j61. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 2:1-4a.62. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 2:1-4a 63. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 2:364. Please read Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:21k

THE YAHWIST TRADITION’S ACCOUNT OF CREATIONWe shall present the creation narrative of the Yahwist tradition in

five segments, namely: Man, garden, location of the garden, tree ofknowledge of good and evil, and Woman.

The first section, that is about man, may be read from the secondpart of the fourth verse up to the seventh verse in the English translation,which is also known as the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE, sponsoredby the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. We are presenting thatportion below.

Second Story of Creation. †At the time when the LORD God madethe earth and the heavens -while as yet there was no field shrub onearth and no grass of the field has sprouted, for the LORD God had sentno rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil, but astream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the surfaceof the ground- †the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the groundand blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became aliving being.65

A footnote explains the whole story that we have started to read. Thatnote is “This section is chiefly concerned with the creation of man. Itis much older than the narrative of 1,2-2,4a. Here God is depicted ascreating man before the rest of his creatures, which are made for man’ssake.”66 The explanatory footnote for the seventh verse of the secondchapter of the book of GENESIS may be read below.

God is portrayed as a potter molding man’s body out of clay. Thereis a play on words in Hebrew between adam (“man”) and adama(“ground”). Being: literally, “soul.”67

We have been comparing two English translations. Let us, now,read that one done by the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.

The second account of creation.b ParadiseAt the time when Yahweh God made earth and heaven there was as

yet no wild bush on the earth nor had any wild plant yet sprung up, forYahweh God had not sent rain on the earth, nor was there any man totill the soil. However, a flood was rising from the earth and wateringall the surface of the soil. Yahweh God fashioned man of dust from thesoil.c Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus manbecame a living being.68

The subtitle “The second account of creation” describes the rest ofthe second chapter of the book of GENESIS and that portion is alsoexplained by way of a footnote. That note reads “This ‘Yahwistic’narrative has man and his destiny for its centre of interest. In afigurative way it describes that primordial tragedy the consequencesof which were to dominate man’s estate and story.”69 The statement“Yahweh God fashioned man of dust from the soil.” in verse seven of thesecond chapter of the book of GENESIS is explained in the footnote thatfollows.

Man, adam, is from the soil, adamah please see 3:19,23. This

collective noun is to become, 4:25; 5:1,3, the proper name of the firsthuman being, Adam.70

The time frame for the work of creation was not a primaryconsideration for the Yahwist tradition. It, actually, did not matter withGod. It could have been a day or a century or a thousand years.

The narrative that is unfolding considers man as the most importantcreature of God. The same importance was also evident in the firstaccount of creation. Nevertheless, the span of time for the creation isnot being emphasized in this present account.

When we read the opinion71 of the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars, thatis published in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY, wecan hope for some sort of enlightenment.

Let us proceed reading the Yahwist tradition’s narration of the storyof creation as translated officially by the Holy Mother Church intoEnglish. This time, we shall read about the garden of Eden.

†Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and heplaced there the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground theLORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at andgood for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and thetree of the knowledge of good and bad.72

The footnote explaining the garden that God planted and the name“Eden” may be read below.

Eden: used here as the name of a region in southern Mesopotamia;the term is derived from the Sumerian word eden, “fertile plain.” Asimilar-sounding Hebrew word means “delight”; the garden in Edencould therefore be understood as the “garden of delight,” so that,through the Greek version, it is now known also as “paradise,” literally,a “pleasure park.”73

The scholars’ translation into English of the preceding verses isbeing presented below.

Yahweh God planted a garden in Edend which is in the east, andthere he put the man he fashioned. Yahweh God caused to spring upfrom the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat,with the tree of lifee and the tree of knowledge of good and evil in themiddle of the garden.74

The noun “Eden” in verse eight of the second chapter of the book ofGENESIS is explained by way of a footnote. That note may be readbelow.

‘Garden’ is translated ‘paradise’ in the Greek version and thencebecomes traditional. ‘Eden’ is a geographical name but the place cannotbe identified; it may originally have meant ‘a plain’. Paradise is picturedhere as an oasis in the eastern desert.75

The “tree of life” in verse nine, chapter two of the book of GENESISis explained as “A symbol of immortality, see 3:22 and note. On thetree of the knowledge of good and evil see the note on verseseventeen.”76

Please read what the BIBLE scholar, Fr. Eugene H. Maly,77 hadwritten about the two verses that we are studying at the moment.

Did God really have to plant trees? If ever, it was not in the way wecan imagine nowadays. It was in a way that no man, even with the aidof modern science of agriculture, can be able to do. Let us bear in mindthat man was already created and he had to eat to survive. the firstgroup of tres planted must already be bearing fruits, a job that onlyGod can do. It was planted in the way of God.

Thus, the garden was created.

Would you care to know the location of the garden? We can haveinformation about the place. Nevertheless, we will find out, as we goalong, that neither you nor me will be able to go there nor even have alook at that garden. Not even the best of all the adventurers was able toget a glimpse of the garden that God created. It was a real garden,anyhow, whether you believe or not.

Are you familiar with irrigating agricultural lands where the waterbeing used are coming from rivers? Read the following verses takenfrom the official Catholic translation of the Sacred Scriptures intoEnglish.

†A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it dividesand become four branches. The name of the first is Pishon; it is theone that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.The gold of that land is excellent; bdellium and lapis lazuli are alsothere. The name of the second river is the Gihon; it is the one thatwinds all through the land of Cush. The name of the third river is theTigris; it is the one that flows east of Asshur. The fourth river is theEuphrates.78

Reading also the footnote that explains these five verses will helpus in acquiring a better grasp of the message that the authors of theSacred Texts are imparting to us. That note follows.

Rises: in flood to overflow its banks. Beyond there: as one travelsupstream. Branches: literally, “heads,” that is, upper courses. Eden isnear the head of the Persian Gulf, where the Tigris and the Euphratesjoin with two other streams to form a single river. The land of Cushhere and in 10, 8, is not Ethiopia (Nubia) as elsewhere, but the regionof the Kassites, east of Mesopotamia.79

Now, we come, once again to the English translation of the SacredScriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem and read there the same five verses.

A river flowed from Eden to water the garden, and from there it dividedto make four streams.f The first is named the Pishon, and this encirclesthe whole land of Havilah where there is gold. The gold of this land ispure; bdelliumg and onyx stone are found there. The second river isnamed Gihon, and this encircles the whole land of Cush. The thirdriver is named Tigris, and this flows to the east of Ashur. The fourthriver is the Euphrates.80

These five verses are explained by the scholars employing a footnote.That note may be read below.

The purpose of verses 10-14 is to fix the locality of Paradise. TheTigris and the Euphrates are well known and their sources, in theArmenian mountains, are adjacent; the rivers Pishon and Gihon are,

however, unknown. According to Genesis 10:29 Havilah is adistrict of Arabia and, in other passages, Cush means UpperEgypt; but it is uncertain whether the two names have the samesense in this place.81

“Bdellium” in verse twelve of the second chapter of GENESIS isdescribed as “An aromatic resin”82

Please read the opinion83 of the BIBLE scholar, Fr. Eugene H. Maly,which was published in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.

There are lots of guesses as to the location of the garden of Eden.Europeans who come to the Philippines for the first time wouldinvariably say that they have found paradise because they will not needto have several sets of clothing on account of extremes in temperature.Others say that the Philippine soil and climate are very conducive toagriculture so this is certainly paradise.

Some say that the gaden of Eden used to be under the deserts of theMiddle East where oil deposits in enormous quantities have beendiscovered. Science found out that plants buried in the depth of theearth develop into oil after several millennia. This, however, is a guessand we can only take it as guess.

The Yahwist narrative on creation continues with God giving toman a perfect dwelling place. The official English translation by theHoly Mother Church of this portion of the narrative follows.

The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden ofEden, to cultivate and care for it. The LORD God gave man this order:“You are to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree ofknowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; themoment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.”84

How did the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem translate thisportion of the narrative of the Yahwist tradition into English? Let usread it.

Yahweh God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden tocultivate and take care of it. Then Yahweh God gave the man thisadmonition, ‘You may eat indeed of all the trees in the garden.Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evilh you arenot to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die.’85

The second part of God’s admonition to the man is explained by wayof a footnote. That note may be read below.

This knowledge is a privilege which God reserves to himself andwhich man, by sinning, is to lay hands on, 3:5,22. Hence it does notmean omniscience, which fallen man does not possess; nor is it moraldiscrimination, for unfallen man already had it and God could notrefuse it to a rational being. It is the power of deciding for himselfwhat is good and what is evil and acting accordingly, a claim tocomplete moral independence by which man refuses to recognize hisstatus as a created being. The first sin was an attack on God’ssovereignty, a sin of pride. This rebellion is described in concrete termsas the transgression of an express command of God for which the textuses the image of a forbidden fruit.86

Only one fruit was not to be eaten. All the rest were available forthem as food without violating anything.

Will anyone be able to taste all the fruits in the whole world duringhis lifetime, granting that he be given the chance?

Now, bring me, at least, a person who has tasted every variety ofseed-bearing fruits on earth.

Try to visualize the fruits that you ordinarily find in the market.Can you name them? If you can’t, can you count them, at least?

Double your figure and you are still far away from the total numberof varieties of fruits available.

Take away one from such figure and you have the total number ofvarieties of fruits available to the first man and woman. Such is thefigure representing the total number of varieties of fruits that theywere allowed to eat.

Abstaining from only one variety, given the figure we have in mind,will not starve anyone. The first man was not even required to makea sacrifice. More than enough for his needs has been given him. Morethan he could have possibly consumed in all his lifetime had beengiven him and for free.

Now, please read the opinion87 of one of the scholars who spenttime, talent and resources to study the extant manuscripts of theSacred Writings in Jerusalem.

It is quite interesting that, while we are writing this, somerepresentatives in the Lower House (purportedly, of the people) feelbeing restrained or acting against public opinion regarding a bill in thePhilippine Congress, the Lower House in particular. If they arerestrained, it is because their individual conscience works within them.If they are acting against public opinion, it can be the political notionof acting against morality.

Some of them are even blaming the Holy Mother Church throughthe Bishops who will never just sit and watch them to enact a lawcontrary to the stand of the Magisterium. Those lawmakers pretendthat the Papal Encyclical “Humanae Vitae” can be set aside by thevery persons whose duty, among others, is to implement it. Thoserepresentatives appear to be attempting at the knowledge described asdivine privilege in the quotation numbered 86 in this work.

It seems relevant, at this point, to ask the so-called representativesof the people in Congress if they really represent the people of thePhilippines. They seem to be representing the doomed on account ofrebellion in heaven.

The divine admonition to the first man, and to all other men andwomen created later to these days and after ours, consisted in the

practice of the virtue of temperance. Intemperance in man producesgreed. Greed of some results in dire need among many others.

We can say greedy individuals can provide for all the needs of othersif only they heed the voice of God. If those greedy individuals willheed the voice of the devil, they will either eliminate the needy, i.e., byway of mass killings employing all the ways known to man, or preventthe increase of the needy through irresponsible family planning thatuses artificial means of contraception, which is ultimately encouragingpromiscuity and induced abortion. This is contrary to the will of God.

Let us read the final eight verses of the second chapter of the bookof GENESIS and find out how God completed his work of creation asnarrated by the Yahwist tradition and translated into English by membersof the Catholic Biblical Association of America under the sponsorhipof the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.

The LORD God said: “It is not good for man to be alone. I will makea suitable partner for him.” So the LORD God formed out of the groundvarious wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought themto the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man calledeach of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle,all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to bethe suitable partner for the man.

So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he wasasleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had takenfrom the man. When he brought her to the man, †the man said:

“This one, at last, is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh;

This one shall be called ‘woman,’for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.”

†That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to hiswife, and the two of them become one body.

The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.88

The poem declaimed by the man at the sight of the suitable partnergiven him by God is explained in the following footnote.

There is a play on the similar-sounding Hebrew words ishsha(“woman”) and ishah (“her man, her husband”).89

The penultimate verse in the Yahwist tradition’s narrative of creationis better understood under the light of the footnote that follows.

One body: literally “one flesh”; classical Hebrew has no specificword for “body.” The sacred writer stresses the fact that conjugal unionis willed by God.90

The final eight verses of the second chapter of the book ofGENESIS, still in the Yahwist tradition’s creation narrative as translatedby the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem into English may beread below.

Yahweh God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone. Iwill make him a helpmate.’ So from the soil Yahweh God fashionedall the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to theman to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name

the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all thebirds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate suitable forman was found for him. So Yahweh God made the man fall into a deepsleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and enclosed it inflesh. Yahweh God built the rib he had taken from the man into awoman,i and brought her to the man. The man exclaimed:

‘This at last is bone from my bones,and flesh from my flesh!This is to be called woman,j

for this was taken from man.’This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to

his wife, and they become one body.Now both of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they felt

no shame in front of each other.91

The footnote explaining the first part of the twenty-second verse is“Figurative expression of the close relationship between man andwoman, verse 23, which explains their attraction for each