doWhat is the Garden of Eden? Did it really exist?
The Garden of Eden is commonly known as the earthly paradise, golden age of mankind, cradle of mankind, garden Of Eden, etc… In fact, Genesis, the first biblical book of the Old Testament, describes this wonderful garden in which man experienced divine happiness at some point, and tells us that Adam and Eve lived there full of joy, until they were tempted by the serpent, ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and were expelled from this beautiful place.
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Where is the Garden of Eden?
“The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground, which were attractive to the eye and appetizing to eat; he made the tree of the knowledge of good and evil sprout. From Eden a river is born that waters the garden, and from there it divides into four branches. The first is called Pisón: it is the one that runs through the entire region of Javilá, where there is gold. The gold of that region is excellent, and in it there is also bdellium and lapis lazuli. The second river is called Guijón: it is the one that runs through the entire land of Cush. The third is called Tigris: it is the one that passes to the east of Ashur. The fourth is the Euphrates. (Genesis 2:8-14).
In the previous passage, the Bible tells us about an earthly reality, but perhaps this place should be considered less from a geographical point of view (physical place), and more from a commemorative perspective, since man carries within himself the memory of a blessed time full of happiness, which allows you to fight for this lost harmony in the current age.
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a time of harmony
Harmony with God
In the Garden of Eden, man continually talked with God; their relationship was simple and natural, since God provided all his needs and they lived without worries or pain. However, man’s disobedience to the temptation to be equal to God led them to try the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (which Saint Augustine calls “the original sin”). This act of disobedience destroyed harmony with God, resulting in fear, pain, and sadness.
Since total harmony once existed on earth, man still wishes to find that state of peace and peace of mind on your own, however, only God can bring you back. peace to the soulthat is, only when we can abandon ourselves completely and with total trust in our creator, can we obtain forgiveness and peace, because He is a loving Father who keeps his arms open and awaits the return of his children (see example of the parable of the son prodigal).
Harmony with the Earth
Eden is a garden, and this term refers to a domesticated and welcoming nature (not hostile or wild), that is, to a place of harmony between man and his environment.
In the Bible, God invited man to be his guardian, so that he would work the land and not exploit it: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). However, many of us have disregarded this directive and have destroyed the place that has been given to us.
For this reason, in the face of ecological disasters, the Pope Francisco -in its Laudato’ Si encyclical invites us to rediscover this harmony between man and creation, which implies care, respect and attention towards our common house:
“It is important to read the biblical texts in their context, with an adequate hermeneutic, and remember that they invite us to “till and care for” the garden of the world (cf. Gn 2:15). While “tilling” means cultivating, plowing or working, “caring” means protecting, guarding, preserving, guarding, watching over. This implies a relationship of responsible reciprocity between human beings and nature. Each community can take from the goodness of the earth what it needs for its survival, but it also has the duty to protect it and guarantee the continuity of its fertility for future generations”.