Episode 2807: Created in His Image - Nightly Episode

Created in His Image: Preparing Our Hearts for the Coming of Christ
“O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory. Amen.”
Welcome to today’s episode! As we journey through the season of Advent, the Church invites us to prepare our hearts for the coming of our Savior. Preparation is essential, not only for our spiritual growth but also to awaken our hearts to the deeper realities of our faith.
We will reflect on the meaning of being created in the image of God, as described in Genesis 1:27, and explore how the liturgical seasons, especially Advent, help us grow in holiness and focus on the coming of Christ. We’ll draw from scripture and a reflection from the Good Catholic Digital Content Series, Great Advent, to deepen our understanding of how preparation transforms our celebration of holy days into opportunities for profound spiritual renewal.
Let us begin by grounding ourselves in the Word of God:
"So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." —Genesis 1:27
Segment 1: Created in His Image
From the very beginning, we are reminded of a profound truth: we are created in the image and likeness of God. This is the foundation of our dignity as human beings and the starting point for understanding our purpose in life.
Being made in God’s image means that we are called to reflect His love, holiness, and creativity in our daily lives. Yet, in the hustle and bustle of modern life, we can lose sight of this divine calling. Advent, as a season of preparation, invites us to rediscover who we are in God’s eyes and to realign our lives with His will.
Let us reflect on how this Advent season can be an opportunity to live more fully in our identity as children of God.

Segment 2: The Importance of Preparation
The Good Catholic Digital Content Series, Great Advent reminds us:
"In the same way, it’s difficult to celebrate important things deeply and meaningfully without preparation. We must prepare ourselves for the celebration of the Church’s greatest feasts. That’s why Easter has a Lent and Christmas has an Advent. If we don’t prepare, we will be more easily distracted on the day of the celebration and our souls won’t be as open to the long-term transformation offered by such a holy day. If we do prepare, there is a much better chance that our hearts will be present and alive to the realities that we celebrate. But there’s more to why we need this liturgical season. It snaps us out of our complacency, our daydream-like interaction with this passing world, and wakes us up to a greater spiritual reality: Jesus is coming soon."
This reflection captures the essence of Advent: it is a time to shake off the distractions of the world and turn our focus back to Christ. Advent is not just a countdown to Christmas; it is a call to conversion.

How can we prepare ourselves? Here are three practical steps:
Prayer: Spend time in daily prayer, meditating on the promises of Christ’s coming.
Sacrifice: Offer small sacrifices during Advent to detach yourself from worldly comforts.
Charity: Show Christ’s love to others, especially those in need, as a reflection of the gift of God’s love to us.
By embracing these practices, we allow Advent to transform our hearts and make us ready to celebrate the birth of Christ with a deeper understanding of its significance.
Segment 3: Advent as a Reflection of God’s Image
When we consider the connection between Genesis 1:27 and the season of Advent, we see a beautiful harmony. Just as we are created in God’s image, Advent reminds us that Christ, the perfect image of the Father, came to restore that image in us.
Advent calls us to live in a way that reflects God’s love and holiness. It is a season of hope, reminding us that Jesus, the Word made flesh, came to redeem us and renew our broken humanity. By preparing our hearts, we allow His light to shine through us, making us living witnesses of the Gospel.
Conclusion Prayer
Let us close this episode with a prayer to help us prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for creating us in Your image and calling us to reflect Your love and holiness. As we journey through this season of Advent, awaken our hearts to the deeper realities of our faith. Help us to prepare well for the coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the perfect image of Your glory and the Savior of the world.
Lord Jesus,
Teach us to detach from the distractions of this world and to focus on the joy of Your coming. Transform our hearts through prayer, sacrifice, and acts of love, that we may celebrate Your birth with hearts that are alive and open to Your grace.
Holy Spirit,
Guide us in this time of preparation. Strengthen our resolve to grow in holiness and help us to live each day as a reflection of the divine image within us. May we, like Mary, say yes to God’s will and prepare a dwelling place for Christ in our hearts.
We ask this through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints. Amen.
Thank you for joining us today. As we continue through this Advent season, let us remember that we are created in God’s image and called to prepare our hearts for His coming. Until next time, may God bless you and guide you in your journey of faith.