Reflection: Made in the Image and Likeness of God...

Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground." God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth." God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed, the sixth day.  Genesis 1:26-31  

Have you held the face of a child in your hands and looked into the child's eyes?  The eyes of a child reflect love, innocence, wonder, trust and hope.  When you gaze at a child, these qualities are reflected back to you.  This is how God looks at you.  He gazes at you with great love. He made you in His image and likeness.  He made you unique and He has a plan for you.  How do you know His plan? 

Spend time alone with Him.  In the silence, you can hear Him speak words of love in your heart. Go to Eucharistic Adoration or sit before the tabernacle.  Open your heart and close your eyes.  Jesus is holding your face.  He is gazing into your eyes.  Love is pouring into your heart from His gaze. Be with Him and let Him hold you, let Him love you. Be still, and in the quiet of your heart, He will speak to you.  He will speak words of love.  You will know you are his beloved child.  Gaze at Him with the love and trust of a little child.    

January 22, 2015 marked the 42nd anniversary of the tragic day of the Supreme Court decision making abortion legal in the United States.  More than 57 million babies have been aborted since that day. The loss of all these lives is incomprehensible.

Today's Gospel  After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel of God.  "This is the time of fulfillment.  The Kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe in the Gospel. Mark 1:14-15 

The March for Life was held this week in Washington DC.  More than 500,000 people, mostly young people, marched peacefully for the Protection of all Life.  This beautiful witness for life was barely noted by the news media, The people who march for life see the face of God in the unborn and are proclaiming the Gospel of Life with their lives. God is gazing upon them with great love.

We are made in the image and likeness of God.  We are creative, spiritual, intelligent, relational and moral. We communicate with God and with one another.  Though all humans possess these godlike capacities, each of us has the potential to express them distinctively, because God's image has been imprinted uniquely on each of us.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10