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C PHASE III, WEEK 3 - WEEKLY CHALLENGE - P. A. N. T. S.
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“Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”;
your face, LORD, do I seek!
Do not hide your face from me;
do not repel your servant in anger.
You are my salvation; do not cast me off;
do not forsake me, God my savior!
Even if my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will take me in.

Psalm 27:8-10

Images can evoke some of the most powerful emotions. As men, this might be even more true. Whether it’s an image of a beautiful woman, or an image of our favorite team’s victory parade, it is not difficult to understand how powerful an image can be and the strength of the feelings that an image can create.

For the same reason, we tend to avoid uncomfortable images. You’ve likely seen Joe Theisman, Kevin Ware, or Gordon Hayward break their leg - and your first reaction was to cringe, turn away, and likely utter “UGH!”. Even seeing the image of another suffer that injury is enough to elicit our own memories, empathy, or sympathy and cause us to suffer at the same time.

Similarly, when we encounter a homeless person, our first reaction is to look away, avert our eyes. You might give him a dollar, or buy him a meal, or offer him a ride, but it is still uncomfortable to maintain eye contact with that man who is suffering and lost, isn’t it?

But is that discomfort truly empathetic? Are the emotions you experience actually altruistic? In reality, we experience discomfort because we see ourself in that image. We know the pain of a broken bone. We can image being cold and homeless. We fear the day we lose everything - may it never come!

God knows this. He knows the power of an image and he knows that power rests in the image being a mirror into our own selves.

In the nursery school definition, Icons are merely pictures of Jesus and the Saints that remind us of the good deeds and holiness of that person. They tell us what they did, sometimes how they died, and they remind us that person is now in heaven with God.

But the adult version is a bit darker. For example, the Icon of St. Lawrence might remind us that he was a good man who, in defiance of the Romans, gave alms to the poor. The gridiron reminds us that he was martyred by being grilled over an open flame, defiantly yelling out “This side’s done, turn me over!” But the true power of the Icon rests in what we see of ourselves in that image - or, more importantly, what we don’t see. Have you risked your life to serve God today? Have you sacrificed yourself, or even your comfort to do His will? Do you see yourself in that Icon at all?

CHALLENGE

The Challenge this week is to procure an Icon and hang it in a prominent place in your home. Walk by that Icon each day and ask: “Do I see myself in this image?” When your children ask about the image, explain the sacrifices, choices, blessings, and love of that Saint. When you have guests over, use it as an opportunity to evangelize. Tell the story of the awesome, awe-inspiring love of that Saint - and do your best to replicate it.

You might already have an icon in your home - dig it out and put it out for this week. If not - go get one. Find a saint that speaks to you. Learn the history, the artists, the symbolism of your Icon. You can buy an Icon at many Catholic book stores - we’d recommend Celtic Cross Catholic Gift Shop. You can also find Icons at many shrines or other holy places. If push comes to shove, find one on Google Images and print it out!