The Heart’s Cry

Imago Dei!

Discipleship Questions for

Sunday February 10, 2008

Scripture Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 2:4-9,15-17

Psalm Reading: Psalm: 51

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

Genesis 2:4b-9,15-17 ⁴This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; ⁶but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. ⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. ⁸The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. ⁹And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. ¹⁵Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." -- NKJV

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17

(R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

and of my sin cleanse me.

(R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

For I acknowledge my offense,

and my sin is before me always:

“Against you only have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight.”

(R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy spirit take not from me.

(R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

(R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Romans 5:12-19(20-21) ¹²Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned- ¹³(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. (²⁰Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ) -- NKJV

Matthew 4:1-11  ¹Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." ⁴But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" ⁵Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ' He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, ' In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" ⁷Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" ⁸Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." ¹⁰Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" ¹¹Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. -- NKJV

Discipleship Questions:

Please read the Scripture readings for today and then read Genesis 1:26-27 for it’s in this verse that the key to the reason why we celebrate the Season of Lent is found.
God created man in his own image – what does that mean. “Imago Dei” – What does this actually mean? Please read the following and try to answer this question: “Let me share with you my first encounter with Monsignor Jerry Krieg. We met in his priory and I was fully of my reformed theology and in a casual comment I said, “I am a sorry sinner – a pathetic being.”

I noticed that when I said this he winced noticeably. I could see that this statement really affected him. I vaguely remember saying, “What did I say?”

And then followed his deep reflection upon the reality that while we are in fact sinners all – we are also “made in the image of God!”

Ontologically – in our very being – we reflect in some sense God’s very inner being!

Now what does this mean? Ultimately?

It means that if I can look very very deeply into you – into your being – I will discover the hint – the very scent of God and it will take my breath away!

This is what the season of Lent is really all about! Uncovering – revealing – scouring away all of the accretions – the barnacles – that obscure – that deface – the very image of God!”

Please also read the following and discuss: : “Is it “Namaste” or “Imago Dei?” Is it “I am god” or “I am made in the image of God.” The first focuses on me as the center of all while the latter recognizes that God is God and I am not. St. Augustine once said, “God you have made us for yourself – we are restless until we rest in you.” And he also said and I want to close with this statement:

“Noverim te ut noverim me – noverim me ut noverim te – May I know You so that I may know me – May I know me so that I man know You.” St. Augustine.

It’s in discovering God that I discover me – for I am made in His image!

The true journey of self discovery is to look for and discover God!

The true journey of the Lenten Season is one of deeper discover of God and this invariably leads to a deeper discovery of yourself and as you do this – you begin to discover a magnificent being – You! Made in the image of God. And as you do this – you begin to discover others – who, themselves, are made in the image of God.

Now you’re beginning to see the majesty of God’s plan – to draw us into discovering the wonder of Him and the wonder of us and each other.

Ah! There are not such persons – as the least, the lost and the lonely, for they are all – made in the image of God!

May we be a community in which all beings are seen for the wonder of who they really are and may this Season of Lent be a journey into this discovery of Wonder – Real Wonder!”