Praying with Icons

Windows into Heaven

Reflections on Growing in Our Friendship with Christ

by Bishop David Motiuk, Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton

March 2023

Marble Floors and Growing in the Image and Likeness of God

Praying with Icons. Windows into Heaven. Growing in Our Friendship with Christ.

We are continuing our Great Lent journey, working our way towards Easter and the Resurrection of our Lord.

Again, the forty days of Great Lent provide us with an opportunity to grow in holiness.

In Genesis we read about the profound relationship between humankind and God: “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Humankind is made in the image of God, more precisely, made in the image of Christ, the incarnate Son of God. We aspire to be like Christ. Every human being aspires to grow in likeness to God, that is, to grow in holiness, what the Greek Christians call divinization or theosis. When we grow in holiness, it’s as if God, through grace, is painting the divine likeness over the divine image in us. And as we grow in holiness, we become more like Christ, more loving, more caring, more forgiving, and so on.

Ok. Growing in holiness is easier said than done. It’s not always easy being like Christ, to follow his ways. And it’s certainly not always easy to recognize Christ in my friends, in my family, in my neighbour, and in the world around me.

But with God, all things are possible. It took a marble floor and an early morning for me to learn that important lesson.

I admit it. I’m not an early morning person, though over the years I’ve learned to adapt.

Early one morning, when I was Rector of Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, I took my usual place in chapel and began to pray before the daily celebration of the Divine Liturgy. As hard as I tried that morning to concentrate on the icon of Christ directly before me, my head bobbed up and down. That’s when it hit me.

Even with my head bowed I could still see that same icon of Christ, this time reflected in the shiny marble floor. Christ was everywhere!

That’s not all.

The thing about marble floors is that you have to position yourself just so in order to see the reflection of an image before you. Move a little to the left or a little to the right and the image disappears. You know what I’m talking about. Just think of a mirror. It has the same effect.

So if they say that God’s awesome presence is everywhere, they’re right. The problem is not with God. It has more to do with us.

God dwells in every person, in every thing, in every event. If you have difficulty seeing God in someone or something, then just move a little to the left or a little to the right until his presence is reflected more clearly before you.

Believe me. God is always present. It took a marble floor for me to realize it.

(P.S. – Sometimes it takes more than moving a little to the left or a little to the right to see God in the object before us. Sometimes you have to even get down on your hands and knees, or even stand on your head to see him. Don’t panic. It’s worth the effort. And if you get some funny looks from passersby, just say “It’s ok; I’m just looking for God!”)

This Great Lent, take an opportunity to grow in holiness, to become more like Christ, more loving, more caring, more forgiving, and so on.

Praying with Icons. Windows into Heaven. Growing in Our Friendship with Christ.