“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)
Like my father did, I enjoy watching Public Television: Shows like Masterpiece Theater, Nova, Frontline, Ken Burns Documentaries…even reruns of Lawrence Welk. Of course, it is also interesting to watch Antiques Roadshow; not only to see the treasures and heirlooms people bring, but to learn about those items; to listen as experts give in-depth details of how they were fashioned and assess their value.
Surprisingly, the worth placed upon each piece of pottery, jewelry, painting, or vase is not necessarily found in its beauty, but rather in its workmanship; the artisan’s hands determine its intrinsic value.
St. Paul uses this same analogy of “workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10) in today’s epistle to remind us that God created mankind using masterful skill.
According to the account in Genesis, God simply said, “Let there be…,” and it happened. Light, space, stars, planets, moons, firmament, oceans, trees, plants, fish, fowl, and animals – all created through God’s Word. However, with humans, God did something completely different. He reached down into the earth’s clay to form Adam with His Own hand. He then breathed “life” into Adam’s nostrils to give him a living soul. It was this direct, “hands on” workmanship that rendered mankind the crowning achievement of God’s Creation.
Yet, that which is created is subject to breakage. And just as chipped, marred, or cracked vases and figurines lose value unless they are repaired, man also needs to be mended from the damages of sin. This restoration is accomplished through the Sacrament of Confession. By turning to God – the Great Artificer – and revealing to Him all our flaws, faults, and fractures, He mercifully forgives, repairs, and restores us through His skilled hands and immeasurable love.
