Praying the Divine Office today, I read this in Matins for the Office of Our Lady on Saturday:
Through a woman came death; through a woman, life: through Eve, ruin; through Mary, salvation. The former, corrupted, followed the deceiver; the latter, uncorrupted, gave birth to the Saviour. Eve willingly accepted the drink offered by the serpent and handed it on to her husband; and by their action both deserved the penalty of death. Mary, filled with heavenly grace from above, brought forth life, by which mankind, already dead, can be revived. Who has worked this miracle, if not the Son of the Virgin and the Spouse of virgin who brought fruitfulness to His mother without taking away her integrity? (On the Creed, to the Catechumens, Book 3, ch. 4, at the end)
This is one of many such patristic references that stand in support of that beautiful title of Our Lady, “The Second Eve.” It shows that the Blessed Virgin played an active role in our salvation, in a parallel contrast with Eve, who played a similar role on our fall.
