"Sharers in the divine nature."  What an astounding mystery to ponder!  And ponder it we must, for it belongs to the Christian by grace to share in Christ's very own life.  This sharing began at baptism and will find its final fulfillment in heaven where "we shall behold God such as he is in his own nature and substance and we ourselves shall become, as it were, gods.  For those who enjoy God while they retain their own nature, assume a certain admirable and almost divine form, so as to seem gods rather than men."  (St. Pius V Catechism, I, 13, 7)  We will keep our human nature but share in God's nature.  "Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed.  What we know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is."  (1 John 3.2)  Furthermore it is the very will of God that we be "renewed in knowledge according to the image of our creator." (Colossians 3.10).  "We have been called according to God's purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born within a large family."  (Romans 8.29)  Do you understand the mystery?  God wills that we share in his divine nature so that he have not just a son but a first-born of many sons.  "For, just as God chose to communicate to others his natural goodness, giving them a share in that goodness, so that he might be not only good but also the author of good things; so the Son of God chose to communicate to others a sonship like his own, so that he might be not only a son, but the first-born of many sons." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans)  This brotherhood that we then all share with each other is intended to be such an intensive communion that it be a reflection of the Trinity itself.  "The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one." (John 17.22)  What intense communion, my brothers and sisters, does Jesus desire for us since it is the Father's will that we enter into divine filiation.

Since we now understand better the position we are in and in which God wishes us to be, since we have been "renewed in knowledge," (Colossians 3.10) what is our task, that is, what are we to do with this renewal?  We are told: "seek the things that are above, set your minds on things where Christ is, not on things on earth.  You have died and your life is hidden now with Christ.  When he is revealed then you also will be revealed." (Colossians 3.1-4)  Furthermore we must put to death earthy things: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, conceit, greed, idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive language, lying, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing and so on. (Galatians 5.19-21, Colossians 3.5-9)  "Put to death" is violent language and we truly must do violence to ourselves to bury the old man and live the new.  "The violent take the kingdom of heaven by force." (Matthew 11.12)  "Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5.24)  Replace all these earthly things with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, compassion, humility, meekness, forbearance and forgiveness.  While putting to death the bad things and bringing to life the good we must continually remember that "by grace we have been saved through faith, and this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2.8-9)