„The Church proclaims Jesus of Nazareth, true God and perfect man, opening up to everyone the possibility of being „deified“ and thus becoming more human. This is the only way by which the world can discover the noble vocation to which it is called and fulfill it in the salvation wrought by God.” (John Paul II.: Incarnationes mysterium.)
In Catholic theology, the concept of deification is rarely found; in fact, it corresponds in a certain way to the Western concept of sanctifying grace. (Note: Sanctifying (or also divinizing) grace is a constant gift, a permanent and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to make it capable of living with God and acting out of love for him. (CCC 2000)
In both cases, it is a secret of the personal connection between God and man, a personal meeting in which the entire human being is penetrated by God’s presence and submitted to his deifying action.
Deification is the gradual penetration of the love of God in the Holy Spirit to the full maturity of Christ in us. Man is created to be deified in God’s love perfectly and at the same time to remain human.
The doctrine of deification is alive, above all in the Orthodox tradition. In the light of Orthodox theology, deification is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. Deification is the exaltation of human nature.
The concept of deification originates in the Holy Scriptures. People created in the image and likeness of God, (Gen 1:26-27) thanks to grace, can participate in the life of God (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Orthodox theologians focus attention on these moments of the work of deification:
- Deification is not intended only for a select group, but is the normal goal of every Christian without exception. The process of deification begins for everyone already on earth.
- The deification of a person does not mean that he loses consciousness of sin. On the contrary, deification presupposes constant repentance, a constant change in the manner of thinking (metanoia).
- Deification is not an individualistic process, but has a social character. A person can be deified only if he loves his neighbor and lives for others.
- Deification presupposes life in the Church and participation in the holy sacraments.
- A deified person is not separated from the rest of creation. When Christ took on a material body, he enabled the transformation of the whole creation: not only of the spiritual world, but also of the material world.
Deification in TLIG Messages
In the TLIG Messages, the Lord says that deification is the work of the Holy Spirit. Vassula explains this topic in detail in her two speeches given at Meteora (2004). Among them I exclude:
„if you allow My Holy Spirit to invade your soul, He can transfigure your soul from a desert into a garden, where I can have My rest in you. If you allow My Holy Spirit He can transfigure your soul into a palace, where I can be a King and reign over you, if you allow My Holy Spirit to transfigure your soul into a heaven, where in this heaven you will be able to glorify Me…“
So that the Holy Spirit will be free to act in us, we must be willing to give away our will for His Will, totally surrendering to God’s will. When his happens, He can raise us to three levels:
1) from a desert into a garden (= detachment, dying not only to ones will, but also to all material things that the soul can be attached to)
2) from a garden into a palace (= dispassion, liberation from earthly passions. Dispassion also means a very high level of contemplation and at the same time a distaste of all worldly things, a distaste of all evil thoughts and evil acts. It is a total rejection of evil)
3) from a palace into a heaven (=impassibility, angelic virtue, ultimate perfection of the soul. It is a detachment of lust and passion, of pleasures and desires of the soul)
Of course, if we want to live under the Holy Spirit grace, we need first to repent, confess our sins and empty ourselves from everything that does not belong to God.
Unfortunately, deification is not much noticed by people. Why? Because:
- very few people reach these levels (we simply don’t know anyone like that in our area). The Latins say: Words move, examples pull.
- reaching those ascents seems to us impenetrable and only reachable by the saints
- little is said of the fruits of deification
Ad a) It is probably true that we do not normally meet people whom we could declare to be deified. Sadly, this is also true of the clergy. (There are no father Pio’s). It is all the more necessary to look for such people and observe their lives. For me personally, this means participating in TLIG meetings (retreats, pilgrimages), and moreover, not be blind to the fact that many people spiritually progress and follow the Way.
Ad b) Our Lord is granting us, in the messages of TLIG, the favor to teach us, in a simple language, how to ascend these heights.
“I come to you out of Mercy to give you freely the fullest Knowledge of My Will; through My Perfect Wisdom I come to augment in you the Knowledge I Myself have given you; I do not come to add new things into that which has been given you already, but I come to place My Kingdom in the middle of your hearts;” (TLIG Messages, June 2, 1991)
“…if one remains in My grace, he remains in My Light that widens his knowledge into spiritual realities and riches, since a powerful transformation takes place within the Light, leading him towards higher ascents, deeper in Me, your God, progressing his soul, enlivening him, putting him ablaze, and like a straw lifted by fire, in this manner do I lift him into higher ascents of holiness;
…all of you are given access to make part of My Light and become one flame;” (TLIG Messages, December 12-15, 2003)
“I have planted this Vineyard and named it: True life in God; I have not planted it high up on the mountains, but in the lowlands to make it accessible to everyone;” (TLIG Messages, April 12, 2004)
The TLIG Messages are a gift to us all.
“I am putting all My Heart into this Love Hymn, I am putting all My Heart into hymns out of love for all of you, good or wicked;” (TLIG Messages, July 22, 1994)
In order for a gift to truly become a gift, not only is the Giver sufficient, but the recipient must be sufficient as well. This means that we must keep reading the TLIG Messages, meditating on them and living them. (Putting them into action).
My Heart is inflamed with love for all mankind and the more they will advance reading Me the more sanctifying graces I will be pouring on them, to draw them deeper into the flames of My Heart;
…in My Sacred Heart are riches and honour, lasting wealth and loyalty; My Treasures will make you walk in the path of virtue;” (TLIG Messages, November 28, 1996)
Saint Basil the Great, a church father, says that: „The Holy Spirit comes to all only as much as they themselves are able, not as he can.„
Ad c) I believe that one of the reasons why our churches are empty is that religion, church, belief in God, is understood as something that limits a person. This is, of course, a misunderstanding. People don’t know what is being offered to them, so they don’t want it. When we talk about deification, it is necessary to be reminded again and again what the Lord offers us. He talks about it in many places. In the TLIG Message given on April 25, 1999, Jesus speaks about the Treasures that can be discovered in His Heart.
They are:
“– the treasure of knowing and understanding God;
– the treasure of intimacy;
– the treasure of joy and consolation;
– the treasure of the path of virtues;
– the treasure of the Holy Spirit;
– the treasure of Holy Wisdom, an inexhaustible treasure to men;
–the treasure of sweet conversation with the Divine;”
God leaves us free will and it is up to us to choose.
Conclusion.
To come back to the theme of our retreat: „Can one reach deification while still on earth?“ Theologians claim that the process of deification begins for everyone while on earth, but reaches its fullness only in eschatological times.
But the Lord says:
“I can turn what is dross today into angelicalness, perfected into My likeness, sublime and surpassing all earthly beauties;” (TLIG Messages, August 4, 2014)
“…I intend to lead each one to perfection;” (TLIG Messages, November 25, 2014)
“My child, keep your mind and whole being focused on Me and I will fill your mind your soul and your whole being with illustrious goodness and purity; I will fill you with love and everything that I Am;” (TLIG Messages, September 5, 2016)
“I tell you solemnly, if they will open their heart and receive Me, with gladness I will receive them and beautify them; I will be perfecting their soul;” (TLIG Messages, December 2, 2020)
And I believe our Lord.
