Genesis of the Liturgy

 In the beginning of the Bible, we have the story of Adam and Eve.  God told them they could eat any and all of the trees, except one.  (The one they chose.)  Included among all the others, however, is the Tree of Life.  (Gen. 2:9)  Note!  God chose to name it.  

We know the story.  Adam and Eve made the wrong choice.  They failed to live forever because of their mistake.  Guess who fixes that mistake.

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Cor 15: 20-22)

Christ brings us to life in the Liturgy of the Mass.  We are nourished by eating the Body and Blood of Jesus. "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." (John 6: 54-55)

If Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree of Life, they would have lived forever.  In John 6: 58, Jesus tells us that what Adam and Eve rejected is now available to us because we choose to "eat and live forever"--the Bread come down from heaven. (John 6: 50).

The Tree of Life

First, it was in today's second reading for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Rev.22: 14.  There was mention of the tree of life. Then in my morning readings there was mention of the tree of life being off limits to the descendants of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3: 22-23.  AND!  Then came Prov. 3:18, where Wisdom herself is a tree of life; while wickedness leads to death, the right path leads to life (Prov. 2:18-19; 4:13; 6:23; 12:28).

What really gives me pause is the fact that the Book of Revelation brings up the tree of life in the very last words of the Bible.  Revelation is the last book in the Bible.  Chapter 22 is the last chapter in Revelation.

You had better pray for me because the fruits of my contemplation yield some irreverent images.  I get that the tree is for all, but not everyone chooses the path to get to the tree.  So just to make sure I won't stray from the path that leads to the tree of life, I picture building a tree house in its branches.  I'm living there--away from everybody and everything that could lead me away from God.  I'll be safe in the branches of the tree of life.