We are all linked together. We are all part of a whole. When one falls, it affects us all.

When Adam fell, it was not an event that only affected him. It affected the entire Cosmos, both space and time. We are all interlinked, and our sins have an effect on others.

“You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say to you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.[1]

Notice Jesus the God-man and the righteous judge has told us explicitly that what happens in our heart has an effect on other people, that we hurt other people committing adultery “with her already” though the fault is solely one’s own, “for I alone have sinned and done that which is wicked in thy sight.”[2] David cries out in the penitential psalm his own sin though Bathsheba was practically naked bathing on the roof of her house, certainly to catch the king’s eye. He places no blame on her.

In the Western Catholic Liturgy, one performs a the mea culpa beating one’s breast saying, “by my fault, by my fault, by my most grievous fault.”

Where does this ancient custom and prayer come from? Was it not the first prayer of Adam at the gate when he saw all the death brought to the fallen Cosmos, and re-enacted the murder of his second son by his first born son?

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But to Cain and to his offering he had not respect.

And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said to Cain, Why are you wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou does well, shall thou not be accepted? and if thou do not well, sin lies at the door. And to thee shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him.

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

And he said, What have you done? the voice of thy brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When you till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield to thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt you be in the earth.[3]

We beat our breasts remembering that our sins kill. Adam’s fall killed his first two sons.

You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say to you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Therefore if you bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother has ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Agree with thine adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and you be cast into prison.[4]

All of creation is interlinked. When Adam fell, the entire Cosmos fell. When Adam fell, death entered the Cosmos:

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Never-the-less death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin has reigned to death, even so might grace reign through righteousness to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.[5]

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died to sin once: but in that he lives, he lives to God.

Likewise reckon also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Know ye not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness to holiness.

For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.[6]

What manner of life then have we committed to in Christ? It is not a life of cheap grace, but difficult and holy repentance. It is a life of sacrifice to die to self and live to Christ. It is a life in Christ as Christ taught and not after the manner of our former life, but a new life.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom came; go out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say to you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.^[7]

Behold, the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night; and blessed is the servant who He shall find watching. Unworthy is the servant who He shall find being lazy. Beware, O my soul, be not overcome by sleep, so that you not be handed over to death and be shut out from the Kingdom. Come to your senses and cry aloud: Holy, holy, holy are You our God. By the power of Your Cross save us.

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[1] Matt 5:27-28

[2] From Psalm 50/51 when David murdered Uriah having slept with his wife.

[3] Genesis 4:1-12

[4] Matt 5:21-25

[5] Romans 5:12-21

[6] Romans Chapter 6:1-23

[7] Matt 25:1-13