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Saturday, October 17, 1998

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St. Ignatius of Antioch


Ephesians 1:15-23
Psalm 8
Luke 12:8-12

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imaging resonance?

"May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, grant you a spirit of wisdom and insight to know Him clearly. May He enlighten your innermost vision." —Ephesians 1:17-18

We have eyes on the outside of our bodies by which we can see images. We also have "the eyes of our hearts" (Eph 1:18, our transl.) inside our bodies by which we can make images. This "innermost vision" (Eph 1:18) is something like our imaginations. All human beings automatically make images, that is, mental pictures, of everything, including God, ourselves, and others. These pictures are usually distorted and so warp our view of life and, therefore, our living of life. Hence, we need our "innermost vision," our image-making power, to be enlightened (Eph 1:18).

There are three keys to making true images:

  1. knowing our "great hope" (Eph 1:18). Very hopeful people make images and paint pictures quite differently than those with little hope for the future.
  2. knowing our inherited wealth (Eph 1:18). Those who know they are spiritually rich believe that even the most exalted images they make are nonetheless realistic.
  3. knowing "the immeasurable scope of His power in us who believe" (Eph 1:19). Those who know how awesome their power is in Christ make images accordingly.

May we truly image Jesus, ourselves in Jesus, and our lives in Him.

Prayer:  Father, You have created us in Your image (Gn 1:27). May we see ourselves as icons of Your love.

Promise:  "The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment all that should be said." —Lk 12:12

Praise:  St. Ignatius wrote before his martyrdom: "I prefer death in Christ to power over the farthest limits of the earth."

Rescript:  ..

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.


Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, April 4, 1998


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 8, 1998