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In the image of God

(Gen 1:27)

           Why is it that whenever I look at Mita I feel a special kind of joy that is difficult to describe? Indeed even when I am at the office and the thought of Mita and her smiling face comes into my mind, I cannot stop myself from also smiling and feeling so … so nice.

            Mita is my three-week old granddaughter. There is a long and very private story behind it, but the entire family truly considers Mita as a gift – and not just in a figurative way – from our Lady of Guadalupe. For this reason she is special. And even now, I know that the Lord has a plan for her and for her parents, our daughter Joyce and son-in-law Mickey. I think this is the reason why, while reflecting on the possible topic for this article, the Holy Spirit prompted me to write about Mita.

            I believe that the answer to the question that I posed earlier is found in the book of Genesis 1:27: So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Whenever I look at Mita’s innocent face, I am in reality seeing the image of God. Her face reflects the face of God. For this reason the psalmist says: O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart (Ps 4:6-7). God manifests His presence more strongly in the helpless and the innocent. So we feel God’s presence whenever we are with a little child. We also feel His joy! Indeed what the psalmist says is true: In your presence there is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11).

            Since men and women are created in the image of God, then spouses are God’s instruments for transmitting His image from one generation to another. God could have chosen other means, but in His infinite wisdom He had chosen to create new life through the sacramental union of husband and wife. With the creation of man and woman in his own image and likeness, God crowns and brings to perfection the work of his hands: he calls them to a special sharing in his love and in his power as Creator and Father … Thus the fundamental task of the family is to serve life, to actualize in history the original blessing of the Creator – that of transmitting by procreation the divine image from person to person (John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 1981).

            In Evangelium Vitae (1995) Pope John Paul II again emphasizes that: When a new person is born of the conjugal union of the two, he brings with him into the world a particular image and likeness of God himself … In procreation therefore, through the communication of life from parents to child, God’s own image and likeness is transmitted, thanks to the creation of the immortal soul.

            As married couples we have a covenant with God to participate in His continuing work of creation. Accordingly, we have received a special blessing from the Lord and are given a special privilege not available to the unmarried. Married couples are therefore able to enjoy the pleasures of sexual intimacy. St. Thomas Aquinas in his Catechetical Instructions states it very clearly: There are some who say that intercourse between married persons is not devoid of sin. But this is heretical, for the Apostle says: “Let marriage be honorable in all and the bed undefiled.” Not only is it devoid of sin, but for those in the state of grace it is meritorious for eternal life. When it is had with the intention of bringing forth offspring, it is an act of virtue. When it is had with the intent of rendering mutual comfort, it is an act of justice.

            We are able to transmit God’s image to our children because we ourselves have been created in the image of the living God. And if we have in ourselves God’s image, we should therefore love and respect one another. Husbands and wives should exert their utmost efforts, with patience, understanding and forbearance – drawing from the infinite mercy and love of Christ – to avoid hurting each other. Indeed they should constantly strive to grow in love and holiness.

            The Church therefore never gets tired of exhorting her children: Let married people themselves, who are created in the image of the living God and constituted in an authentic personal dignity, be united together in equal affection, agreement of mind, and mutual holiness. Thus, in the footsteps of Christ, the principle of life, they will bear witness by their faithful love in the joys and sacrifices of their calling, to that mystery of love which the Lord revealed to the world by his death and resurrection (Gaudium et Spes).

            Mita is special. Indeed all babies are special because they reflect God’s image. And all wives are special; and all husbands, too! We are all special because we are all created in God’s image. So why should we hurt each other? Why can we not have more patience with our spouses, more forbearance and more understanding? If God is love and we are created in God’s image, why can we not express that love concretely?

            My brothers and sisters, let us look at the faces of our young children. Let us look at the faces of our spouses – and pray to God for that special grace that would enable us to see the face of Christ, so that our joy may be complete.

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