5th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Made in the image and likeness of God

For the first four weeks of Ordinary Time, our weekday readings have all been taken from the New Testament letter to the Hebrews. Well, for some reason, our readings up until Ash Wednesday will be taken from the Old Testament. We’ll hear for two weeks from the first 10 chapters of Genesis and then from Sirach. We’ll hear of the creation of the world, the creation of the first humans, Adam and Eve, who God made for each other, who cling to each other as husband and wife. We will then hear of the fall of mankind, the story of Cain and Abel, and how at the time of Noah, wickedness had so filled with earth, that God sends a cleansing flood.

These ancient stories contain time truths that we do well to reflect upon and learn from.
Today we hear of the fifth, sixth, and seventh days of creation, particularly the creation of Man. Man is created on the sixth day, the same day as the beasts. The number six in the bible is often associated with the bestial. The number 666 is the number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation. What separates man from beast? Well, the biblical understanding of the human person is based on the words we read today: “God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.”

To be created in the image and likeness of God means, we have an intellect.  We can reason, we aren’t like the beasts which are directed by instinct alone.  We have a free will. 

One biblical scholar said, though both the beasts and man are created on the sixth day, man is created create FOR the seventh day. And what does God do on the seventh day?  He rests, and he reflects.  Animals do not have the capacity for self-reflection.  Animals cannot write poetry and “War and Peace”.  Animals do not have the capacity to reflect on their call to holiness.  They do not care for what is true, good, or beautiful. They do not gather in worship, they do not celebrate the mysteries of salvation, they do not reflect upon the Word of God.

We will hear in chapter 3 just what happens when humanity gives in to listening to the beast instead of listening to God. The sad history of sin, violence, and division comes from living for the sixth day rather than for the seventh. So may we cultivate what is best in us, may our lives reflect our divine pedigree, by living not for what is base and fallen, but for what is true, good, and beautiful for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.
For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them.
For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.
For ourselves and our parish, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.
For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith, we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.