Yesterday we reflected on true peace and freedom, which can only be realized as a gift from God and become possible in accordance with God’s commandments. The Father’s words made it clear that only within His law can we live our existence fully and not come into conflict with God and ourselves.
But our vocation knows another dimension, namely to live as true children of God. So it says in the Father’s book:
…” I sent them my Son, endowed with all Divine Perfection, for he is the Son of a perfect God. It is he who paved the way to perfection for them. Through him I have accepted you in my infinite love as children, and as true children. Since then, I call you no longer just creatures, but sons and daughters.”
We can say that all human beings are called to this dignity, God has raised them to this dignity and they receive it because of the redemption through Jesus Christ, Son of God, in Holy Baptism.
Further the Father says: …” Rise up to this dignity, which is inherent in the children of God. Learn to appreciate the greatness, then more than ever I will be your Father, the most loving and merciful of all fathers.”
Let us take this point as a reflection to appreciate our dignity as children of God, because it is a very valuable approach to become more aware of the presence of God.
We have reflected several times in past meditations on how much God the Father has called us to be close to him and how, together with his fatherhood, he offers us friendship and intimacy in our relationship. God even opens up to us the participation in his authority.
We are now able to collect many of the points mentioned, which show us how much God gives us a share in his divine life. From this reality we grow in true dignity, which is indestructible if we do not turn away from God in sin. It is our deepest identity and is given to us freely by God. It surpasses any dignity that would be given to us in the world, because it is imperishable.
To rise to this dignity means to live in this consciousness and to try to carry out all words and actions in accordance with this dignity. If we let this approach us, we will feel very finely when we correspond to this dignity and when not. It becomes an inner measure of spiritual education and formation!
If St. Benedict teaches us to do everything in the face of God, this is the same way. Let us listen again to the Father’s promise: “Then more than ever I will be your Father, the most loving and merciful of all fathers.”
In other words, in such an awareness we can better receive the love of God, and his love can reach and fill us more easily and therefore more intensely. It is then precisely this love – the presence of the Holy Spirit with his wonderful gifts – that teaches us ever more precisely what it means to be a child of God and how we can live this dignity to the full. It is then purified what does not belong to this dignity or impairs it. The corresponding guidance becomes increasingly finer as it corresponds to the development of love and the love for our Father grows!
Harpa Dei accompanies the daily scriptural interpretation or spiritual teaching of Br. Elija, their spiritual father. These meditations can be heard on the following website www.en.elijamission.net
