The American Lie: "You Could Be Anyone You Want."

In America, secular society states that any person could be who they want to be as he or she grows up. Back in the ninedies, Michael Jordan became the center and inspiration for all the citizens and non-citizens in Chicago. He had outstanding skills and movements while playing basketball; he capture the attention of many viewers. As a result, gatorade put out a phrase, "You could be like Mike." In addition, there were songs that had a phrase, such as "Like Mike, I could be like Mike!" This is not true; although, being who you want to be is part of the American ideals. The point is that one cannot be like Michael Jordan because Jordan is a reflection of himself. Society was promoting a reflection of the self and not a reflection of God. 

In Genesis 1:26, the author states that God says, "Let us create man in our own image and likeness." Here there is the existence of more than one person acting in creation. Man was created to reflect the image and likeness of God. After the fall, man became the reflection of himself instead of God. He lost his identity and reflection throughout history. 

The Church Fathers zero in on the account of Creation. St. Irenaeus gives a commentary on Genesis 1:27 by recalling what Christ did in the book of the Gospel of John. Jesus heals a blind man. However, the man was born blind, and many people thought that this blind man was born with sin. Although the Jewish thought was right that each man was born with sin, he was the instrument in how Jesus will repeat the same action from the beginning of Creation. Jesus repeats the same actions as he saw his Father do in the moment of creation. Jesus takes mud and spits on it and then he smears mud on the eyes of the blind man. The blind goes off and washes in the pool; he goes to the temple, and he becomes interogated; but eventually gets kicked out. Jesus appears again, and he says, "Do you believe in the Son of Man? the man says, "Who is he, sir, so that I may believe in him? Jesus says, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." Society continues to be blinded by the truth of who the person truly is. We are called not to be reflections of the self, but to be icons and reflections of Jesus Christ. 

Thus, each person is unique and different because God created us differently. We are called to reflect the image and likeness of Christ onto others, The moment our eyes are open to this truth of where our creation comes from, it is the moment when we could reveal onto others the love of God. Being an icon means to reveal the love of Christ in generosity, service, and love onto to others who are hungry for truth.