Human Dignity in God’s Image – Spirituality Counsels #4 – Feb 10 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Feb 10, 2026, continuing his series on Counsels for Healthy, Holy Spirituality, emphasizing right knowledge of self and God as essential, highlighting human dignity from creation, baptism, and incarnation, while detailing God's nature, attributes, and merciful plan.

Father offers the fourth counsel for healthy spirituality: right knowledge of self and God. He begins with self-knowledge, rooted in three sources of dignity. First, we are created in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27), as CCC 1700 affirms, grounding human dignity in this divine reflection. Second, Baptism recreates us, adopting us into God's family as the gateway to life in the Spirit (CCC 1213). Third, the Incarnation unites God forever to our humanity in Jesus Christ; Franciscan spirituality adds that we are made for Jesus, Mary, and the Trinity, belonging to Them through Baptism. Healthy spirituality highlights this dignity, urging choices that honor it, while acknowledging our fallen nature without centering on sin or shame.

Turning to God, Father stresses true knowledge of His nature—one God in three Persons—His attributes (perfect, holy, goodness itself, immutable, simple, eternal, omnipotent, truth, infinite, omnipresent, all-seeing, just, loving, beautiful, humble as in the Incarnation), character (faithful, merciful, kind, patient, understanding, generous, considerate, righteous, honorable, acting for our good out of love), and plan (predestining us in love as sons through Christ, Ephesians 1:5; conforming us to His Son's image, Romans 8:29). Avoid illusions of God as overly lenient or harsh; He punishes sin, condemns the unrepentant (Matthew 25:41), yet is just, forgiving to the repentant.

Father distinguishes head (informative, intellectual) from heart (experiential, transformative) knowledge, both vital. Head knowledge involves true principles like God's unity and power; heart knowledge comes from encounters, as with the Samaritan woman (John 4), where Jesus teaches worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Truth must guide choices over emotions or opinions, leading back to the Church's path. Healthy spirituality separates God from flawed earthly authorities; children often project parental defects onto God, stunting adult faith. Paul urges maturity: avoid childish thinking (1 Corinthians 14:20), put aside childish ways (1 Corinthians 13:11). Saints like St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila root growth in knowing God and self. Strive for clear head knowledge from Church teaching, pray for heart knowledge of our preciousness to God. Truth fosters love and freedom (John 8:32).

Genesis 1:26-27 - Created in God's image - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/1?26
CCC 1700 - Human dignity in creation - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c1.htm#1700
CCC 1213 - Baptism as spiritual gateway - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a1.htm#1213
Ephesians 1:5 - Predestined in love adoption - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/1?5
Romans 8:29 - Conformed to Christ's image - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8?29
Matthew 25:41 - Condemnation of unrepentant - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25?41
John 4:24 - Worship in spirit truth - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/4?24
1 Corinthians 14:20 - Mature in thinking innocence - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/14?20
1 Corinthians 13:11 - Put aside childish things - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/13?11
John 8:32 - Truth will set free - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/8?32
CCC 1996-2005 - Justification and grace knowledge - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a2.htm#1996

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Scholastica - Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=240
Readings: Tuesday 5th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021026.cfm
1st: 1ki 8:22-23, 27-30
Resp: psa 84:3-5, 10, 11
Gsp: mar 7:1-13

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1034&r=1590

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8IHF2oG7F4o