Cathal BarryGod assumed a human nature to accomplish our salvation, writes Cathal Barry
Why did the Word become flesh, the Catechism of the Catholic Church asks at a point. With the Nicene Creed, Catholics answer by confessing: 'For us men and for our salvation he came down from Heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.'
The Church teaches that the Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who according to scripture, 'loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins': 'the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world', and 'he was revealed to take away sins'.
Sick, according to Church teaching, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. The Church states that because we had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in the darkness, the Church maintains it was necessary to bring us the light.
The Word became flesh, according to the Church, so that we might know God's love: 'In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.' (Jn 3:16) 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.' (Jn 3:16)
The Church also teaches that the word became flesh to be our model of holiness: 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.' (Mt 11:29) 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.' (Jn 14:6) On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the Father commands: 'Listen to him!'
Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes, according to the Church, and the norm of the new law: 'Love one another as I have loved you.' (Jn 15:12) This love implies an effective offering of oneself, after his example.
The Word became flesh to make us 'partakers of the divine nature'. (2 Pt 1:4)
In the words of St Irenaeus: 'For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.'
And St Athanasius: 'For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.'
And St Thomas Aquinas: 'The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.'
Taking up St Johnís expression, 'The Word became flesh', the Church calls 'Incarnation' the fact that the Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it.