In The Image And Likeness Of Man?

In the book of Genesis, we are told that “God created man in his own image.” (Genesis 1:27) Ever since, man has fought to create God in his own image. That is to say, we reject God’s way and try to impose our ways on God. However, that road leads to unhappiness and destruction. The only path to true freedom is to conform ourselves to he who is truth. We must repent of our sins, turn to God, and live our lives in accordance with the truth set before us by the very one in whose image we were created. Let us reflect on that as we read today’s Gospel and ponder how Israel failed to accept the truth that was set before them.

Gospel - Matthew 11:16-19

Jesus said to the crowds:

"To what shall I compare this generation?

It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,

'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,

we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.'

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,

'He is possessed by a demon.'

The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,

'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'

But wisdom is vindicated by her works."

Scriptural Analysis

The phrase “this generation” appears harmless, referring to the people alive today. However, when this phrase is used in the Bible, it refers to an unfaithful generation. It harkens to the faithless generation of Noah or the faithless generation of Israel that was denied entrance into the promised land.

Jesus then uses phraseology that would refer to life in Palestine. Custom had it that among children, boys would invite their companions to dance at weddings. Girls would sing laments at funerals and invite their friends to mourn. The sounding of the flute refers to the call of Jesus, who refers to himself as the bridegroom. The wailing represents the witness of John, the call of Israel to repent. Those refusing to join in are those who refused to listen to John’s call to repent or Jesus’s invitation. The people had a very contrarian nature to them. No matter what was suggested, they would find fault in it.

John lived in the wild and survived on food found there. He also did not drink wine. He engaged in no celebratory feasting, which is the meaning of the phrase, “came neither eating nor drinking.” Therefore, many thought he was strange and even possessed by a daemon.

Jesus, on the other hand, went to dinner parties in order to bring his message to where the people were. Some called him a glutton or a drunkard for doing this, “he is a glutton and a drunkard.” (Deuteronomy 21:20) In the end it really did not matter what John or Jesus did as nothing could please this faithless generation. They turned their backs on the wisdom of the Messiah and his forerunner.

Daily Application

Humanity often runs from the truth. Instead of accepting the truth and conforming our lives to it, we will find any number of excuses for rejecting it. If you want proof of this, look no further than the proliferation of denominations and churches over the last century. Even after the Protestant Reformation, from a morality perspective, there was widespread agreement among Christians on what was right and wrong. That is no longer the case. Name a sin that you struggle with, and chances are, you will be able to find a Church that, instead of speaking truth to you, will affirm you in that sin. That is a dangerous place to be.

In the Letter to the Hebrews, we read, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The second person of the blessed Trinity, the Word made Incarnate, is immutable. Objective truth has a name: Jesus Christ. He who is Truth never changes, so the truth that flows from him must never change. Yet, “this generation” spends so much time trying to reject that truth.

Why do we work so hard to reject the truth? The answer is quite simple: Original Sin. Saint John Paul II notes in his great Encyclical on Moral Theology, Veritatis Splendor, that “Man's capacity to know the truth is also darkened, and his will to submit to it is weakened. Thus, giving himself over to relativism and skepticism (cf. Jn 18:38), he goes off in search of an illusory freedom apart from truth itself.” (VS 1) Humans fall prey to the false notion that to submit to God, to submit to Truth, limits our freedom. Truth flows from God, so if we accept that such a thing as objective truth exists, we must submit to God.

That is why so often today, you will hear people ask, “what truth” or “whose truth?” The other phrase that has gained in popularity is “lived experience.” All of these phrases work to deny the existence of objective truth. In doing so, they allow humanity to remake God in the image of man so that mankind may get a “free pass” to live their life however they choose to.

As we draw closer to the Nativity of Our Lord, we need to remember that objective truth exists. Furthermore, it does not exist in some abstract sense but in a very real and personal way. It exists as the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity: Jesus Christ, who is Lord and Savior. John the Baptist called the people to repentance in anticipation of the arrival of their Messiah. God is calling us to repentance as well. Before Christmas arrives, make time to go to confession. To receive the mercy of God as he washes away your sins and provides you with the Grace you need to live your life according to he who is truth.