Felix Culpa

The Easter Proclamation, known as the Exsultet, a beautiful poem which is sung at the start of the Easter Vigil Mass to the praise of the Paschal Candle (a symbol of Christ), contains many references filled with deep theological symbolism, but one in particular stands out as rather odd. This reference is "O certe necessárium Adæ peccátum, quod Christi morte délétum est! O felix culpa, quæ talem ac tantum méruit habére Redemptórem!", often rendered in English as "O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault, that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer!".

I specifically want to draw your attention to the "felix culpa". Let's begin with the word "culpa" as it's easier to translate into English. We might recognize it from the prominent Latin phrase "Mea culpa", or "My fault". Indeed, culpa is often translated as "fault" or "fall", as in a fall from grace or good standing. "Felix," however, has a lot more ways it can be translated. Within the Liturgy, it's translated as "happy", but outside of that, it can be translated as "fortunate," "lucky", "blessed", or "fruitful".

Holy Church recognizes that even the primordial sin of humanity in Adam that unleashed all the pain and suffering we have today, once seen through the lens of Christ's incarnation, can be called fortunate, fruitful, even happy. God does not abandon us, even in the darkest of nights, and He can take even the worst of humanity and cause from it good to come about. Immediately following Adam and Eve's first sin, God shows us, as a loving Father does, to deliver consequences to all involved. However, as a merciful Father, He also immediately provides the solution. "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Gen 3:15). This scripture verse is known as the protoevangelium, or the "first gospel." It is here, in the very beginning of time, that God promises to send Jesus to redeem mankind from the mess they had just created. So great is His mercy, He did not waste any time in making this promise, waiting to decide what to do with His wayward children. The protoevangelium is a message of hope for the future at a time that may have seemed hopeless.

If not for Adam's sin, the world would not have known Christ. St. Augustine said regarding this, "God judged it better to bring good out of evil than not to permit any evil to exist." Though the evil wretchedness of Satan's venomous whispers may fill the world with darkness, the Paschal Candle, shining brightly in the night, Christ rose from the tomb, proclaims victory over sin and death.