The following is from ‘Praying the Eucharistic Stations of the Cross” : “Joseph and Mary gazed with wonder upon his face in Bethlehem. The woman at the well discovered the truth when she looked into his eyes. Zaccheus climbed a tree to glimpse him. His closest disciples marveled when they beheld the glory of his face on Mount Tabor.
And now? His face, bruised and raw, is a pitiful sight. Veronica runs to wipe his blood-stained brow. And his face leaves an image on her holy veil.
The Eucharist builds up that image of Christ in us. People should look upon us and see him. We are called to be other Christs, and by the grace given in the holy sacrament, it is made so. The veil is a true image, a true icon. But a greater icon still is the heart conformed in love to him.”
In todays readings we hear “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. – 1 Peter 2:9
We were created in His image, and are living here and now for a purpose… all of us are… whether we choose to accept it or not, or whether we even realize it. Oh what a powerful inborn dignity and responsibility that carries with it. God loves us so incredibly much.
“Eternal Trinity, you are my Creator. I am the work of your hands and I know how deeply enamored you are with the beauty of your workmanship.” -Catherine of Siena ( Set Aside Every Fear).
That may seem a bit egotistical at first glance, but His true workmanship is not only our physicality although that’s certainly part of it… but our very soul. “We carry this treasure in jars of clay”.
COMMUNION AND STEWARDSHIP: Human Persons Created in the Image of God “For its part, Catholic tradition has always insisted that, while the imago Dei is impaired or disfigured, it cannot be destroyed by sin. The dialogical or relational structure of the image of God cannot be lost but, under the reign of sin, it is disrupted in its orientation towards its christological realization.”
In the Blue Book #21 c-f Our Blessed Mother tells Fr. Gobbi.
“All men redeemed by my Son are also my children; they are my children in the fullest sense of the word. Even those who are far away, even the sinners, even the atheists, even those who reject God, those who fight against Him and hate Him: they are all my children. And I am Mother to them. For many of them, I am the only Mother they have, the only person who is taking care of them, who truly loves them. And so my heart is continually consumed with sorrow and with a greater love for these children of mine.”
Then in section J: “And so there is then the Movement of my priests. It is desired by me to make reparation for the immense harm caused in souls by atheism, to restore in so many desecrated hearts the image of God, the merciful countenance of my Son Jesus”.
Then she goes on to tell us how the image of God is so frequently desecrated, through the demon of corruption, the spirit of lust which is defiling souls from an early age. (q-u)
“The priests of my Movement must restore purity in souls and fight firmly against the Demon of Lust in all its manifestations.
They must combat styles that are more and more indecent and provocative; they must combat the press that publicizes evil and entertainment which ruins morals. They must struggle against the prevalent mentality that legitimizes and justifies everything, and against current morality that permits everything.
Above all, my priests will have to be pure, very pure! I myself will cover them with my immaculate mantle, and I will make them new men, priests who are upright and spotless.
To those who have fallen I will give a new purity; I will call them to a second and more beautiful innocence of repentance and love.
I want it to be the Movement of my priests which will bring back the fragrance of purity to the world: for it is only on the billow of this perfume that my Son Jesus will once again become the King of hearts and of souls.
These messages are for all of us. Lack of modesty and impurity has greater impact than the fashion world would have us believe. It is not inconsequential as so many of us learn so late. Once we know who we truly are in Christ then we are more apt to dress the part. We want people to see Christ when they look at us, and not merely our separate body parts. So we don’t cover our bodies because we are hideous, we dress appropriately because of our great dignity. Think Queen Elizabeth in her day or some other dignitary … perhaps Kate…would it be ok for them to be photographed in scanty clothing or in any type of provocative fashion … regardless of age?
Like todays reading tells us : Beloved, I beg you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. – 1 Peter 2:11
As to this prevalent demon indiscriminately attacking the Body of Christ… in the book ‘The Secret of the Holy Face*’ Fr. Carney reiterates what our blessed Mother has told us about the need for reparation. “the Church must defend herself by means of reparation, reverence, and reversion. I believe God has preordained a certain number of people who need to be in the state of grace and do battle with the demons and their agents.”
Blessed Sacrament
And again…“The Eucharist builds up that image of Christ in us. People should look upon us and see him. We are called to be other Christs, and by the grace given in the holy sacrament, it is made so. The veil is a true image, a true icon. But a greater icon still is the heart conformed in love to him.”
“You are the clear waters of a sea filled with sweet secrets, a magic mirror that you invite me to look into to see myself as your creature, to see you united with my humanity.
Beauty above all beauty!
Wisdom above all wisdom!
Wisdom itself!
Food of angels!
A fire of love to humanity!
A garment to cover our nakedness!
Sweet food for the hungry!”
*(Set Aside Every Fear) Catherine of Siena
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