In recent weeks the readings from Mass have provided extensive passages from the book of Genesis. The one that caught my attention again, and obviously (perhaps) more than the rest, was the story of the creation of human beings in the image and likeness of God. My memory took me to the Catechism which tells us that, “It is in Christ, “the image of the invisible God,” that man has been created “in the image and likeness” of the Creator…” (1701). This divine image is present in every person (1702). Then the text quotes Gaudium et Spes 17: “By virtue of his soul and his spiritual powers of intellect and will, man is endowed with freedom, an “outstanding manifestation of the divine image” (1707).
Reflecting on this act of creation, John Paul II wrote:
“It is significant that the creation of man is preceded by this kind of statement in which God expresses the intention to create man in his image, rather “in our image,” in the plural… according to the description of Genesis 1, man’s creation is preceded by the Creator’s “addressing” himself, ad intra, in this particular way.”
Created
Then follows the act of creation. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). In this phrase, the triple use of the verb “created” (bara), is striking. It seems to give a particular importance and “intensity” to the creative act. It would appear that this same conclusion should also be drawn from the fact that, while each day of creation concludes with the observation: “God saw that is was good” (cf. Gen 1:3, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25), after the creation of man on the sixth day, it is said that “God saw everything that he had made and behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31).
To Reflect
These textual nuances are very indicative of a wonderful spiritual reality: we are created in the image of God, to reflect his glory through our actions. If we are his image, we should reflect his image. This takes me back to the gospels passages of the last three Sundays: Jesus told his disciples to be the light of the world and that their actions, their good works, should manifest to others the glory of the Father: “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5: 16, 5th Sunday, A). Then, to emphasize the splendor of the Gospel law, He repeated about seven times: You have heard it was said… but I say to you… thus fulfilling the Law and bringing a new evangelical teaching based on own his divine authority (Mt 5: 17-37, 6th Sunday, A).
And this past Sunday, Christ spoke of perfection, which in the language of the Scriptures means holiness: “So be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5: 38). This passage of the gospel was somehow introduced by the second reading where St Paul begins with an exhortatory question: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor 3: 16). We are already perfect if the Spirit of God dwells in us, but sin goes against spiritual perfection, so it is necessary to work daily on perfection (holiness) by being receptive to the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Intercession
We ask the Lord, through the intercession of his blessed Mother, to make us know what is according to his will and to put it into practice in our words and actions (see Collect Prayer for the 7th Sunday), to love God and neighbor, which is the apex of perfection.
God bless you all,
Autor: The Contribution of Cornelio Fabro to Fundamental Theology: Reason and Faith
(Release date: March 1, 2023, Cambridge Scholars Publishers)
