There is a certain logic and progression to the Catechism that reveals it to be more than a book of beliefs, but a map for the spiritual journey. After delivering the content of what we believe (the creeds) and how we are empowered to believe it (the Sacraments), the Catechism examines what being a Christian looks like through an account of the moral life. It begins with a quote that, at least at first glance, flies in the face of what most of us think of when we consider the moral life of a Christian. It references a Christmas homily of St. Leo the Great in which the great pope exhorts Christians to “recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God” (CCC 1691). Of course it mentions “not sinning” but his reasoning for shunning sin strikes many of us as a little off. He mentions nothing about breaking commandments or risking salvation but instead says sin is beneath our dignity as Christians. In reading the signs of the times, the authors of the Catechism chose this particular quote because of both its timelessness and timeliness. We live in an age of defensive Christianity and it is only by embracing our dignity as Christians that we can go on the offense once again.
This last sentence regarding widespread defensiveness bears an explanation. There are certainly many Christians that live in a defensive stance against the world, trying to protect Christianity from outside influences. Insofar as that is concerned, this is a good and necessary stance provided it is done with proper moderation. What I mean by “defensive Christianity” has to do with the stance we take in our individual spiritual lives. Most of us see a life of grace as one in which we are protected from evil. Evidence the habit, even within Catholic circles, to focus on “being saved” and “getting to heaven.” Both are important, but they represent a stunted view of the Christian life. By placing the emphasis on our Christian dignity and off of merely being saved, we can fly towards Christian perfection and sanctification.
Dignity
Although this may be slightly tangential, it is worth discussing the concept of dignity. Many people insist that men and women have an inherent dignity because they are made in the “image and likeness of God.” That is not entirely true. Adam and Eve were made in the image and likeness of God, but we are not. Our dignity rests in the fact that we are made in the image of God. That is, as creatures who have the spiritual powers of intellect and will, we surpass all of material creation in greatness. This means that we are afforded a certain treatment that we call dignity.
Christian dignity is something more because it restores God’s likeness. To “be like” God means we have a nature like His, or, more accurately since He is God, a share in His nature. It is the “likeness of God” that was forfeit by our first parents and, thanks to Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, is restored to us in Baptism. Christian dignity then stems from our restored likeness to God or as St. Leo puts it “recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God’s own nature.”
Of course Pope St. Leo is just reminding of something that Pope St. Peter said in his second letter—“that you may become partakers of the Divine nature” (2Pt 1:3). Catholics have always called this share in the Divine nature sanctifying grace. But Catholics rarely reflect on the full impact that this has and what our being “born anew of the Spirit” (c.f. Jn 3:6-7) really means. Because most assuredly if we did then, at least according to the Saintly Pontiff, it would be enough to keep us from forfeiting it through sin.
Reading the Scriptures with the Head and not just the Heart
One of the obstacles has to do with our approach to Scripture. We can read it with sentimentality rather than taking it literally. One might be excused with reading St. John’s letters this way when he says something like “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…Beloved, we are God’s children now” (1 Jn 3:1-2). But one cannot ever read St. Paul in a sentimental manner. When he says “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:15-17) we should take our sonship quite literally. This is a repeated theme throughout the New Testament and one of the keys to understanding what it means to be a Christian. We are quite literally God’s children only because He has given of His own nature to us. To be adopted by Him means not just that we were created by Him, but that as Father He recreated us by impressing His own nature on us.
There is more to this than simply realizing it. He gave this gift to us not just as protection from sin (i.e. that we might be saved) but for us to make use of it. Those in a state of grace are given a super-nature, one that enables them not just to “be like God” but to act like Him. As the name implies, this supernatural power builds upon our natural power, or more accurately, it transforms and elevates it. The more we use this super-nature, the more we become like God which only makes us the super-nature more (in theological terms we increase in sanctifying grace). We become, as Jesus commanded us “perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). Notice too how this clears up all the intellectual debates about faith and works and merits. It is us using God’s nature that He was given us.
This also takes the emphasis off of “getting to heaven.” Why? Because we are already there. Heaven is the place where God dwells and those who dwell with Him enjoy union with Him. With the gift of sanctifying grace comes the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (c.f. Romans 5:2-5). God comes and takes up residence in our souls so that we may be united with Him. Again, sentimentality blocks us from understanding what St. Paul means when he says we are “Temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19). The Holy Spirit truly comes into our souls and dwells there. With Him come the other two Divine Persons as they cannot be separated, even if their mode of presence is different (like the Incarnation). That is why St. Paul says we have been given the “first fruits” of heaven through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:22-23). It is still first-fruits so that the degree in which we will know God (faith versus the Beatific Vision) is different, but not in kind. Divine grace truly contains the seeds of heaven, growing day by day. Our focus should not be simply getting there, but acting like you are already there. As St Theresa of Avila said, “it is heaven all the way to heaven.”
If all that I have said to this point is true, then why would we ever forfeit it for a momentary delight? There are no “cheap thrills”; each is more expensive than we could possibly imagine. We would be more foolish than Esau who failed to see his dignity as the first-born son and sold his birth right for a bowl of porridge (Gen 25:29-34). This is Pope St. Leo’s crucial point—stop and recognize who you are now, Whose you are now; do you really want to throw that all away? Recognize your dignity Christian.