Today's meditation: Know the dignity of your nature

Our Lord Jesus Christ, being born a true man, never ceasing to be true God, began, in himself, a new creation and, with this birth, he communicated to humanity a spiritual principle. Which mind could understand this mystery, or which language could express this grace? Sinful humanity rediscovers innocence, humanity aged in evil regains a new life; strangers receive adoption and foreigners come into possession of the inheritance.
Arise, man, and recognize the dignity of your nature! Remember that you were created in the image of God; that if this similarity was deformed in Adam, it was nevertheless restored in Christ. Visible creatures are suitable for you, as you use the earth, the sea, the sky, the air, the springs, the rivers. How beautiful and wonderful you find in them, direct it to the praise and glory of the Creator.
With the bodily sense of sight, you also welcome the material light, but together it embraces, with all the ardor of your heart, that true light that illuminates every man who comes into this world (cf. Jn 1: 9). Of this light the prophet says: "Look to him and you will be radiant, your faces will not be confused" (Ps 33: 6). In fact, if we are the temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in us, what each believer carries in his heart is worth much more than he can admire in heaven.
With this, dear friends, we do not want to incite or persuade you to despise the works of God, or to see something contrary to your faith in the things that the God of goodness has created good, but we just want to exhort you, so that you know how to use every creature and all the beauty of this world in a wise and balanced way. In fact, as the Apostle says: "The visible things are of a moment, the invisible ones are eternal" (2 Cor 4:18).
Therefore, since we were born for the present life, but then we were born again for the future one, we must not all be dedicated to temporal goods, but strive for eternal goods. In order to be able to contemplate more closely what we hope, let us reflect on what divine grace has conferred on our nature. Let us listen to the Apostle, who says to us: «You are indeed dead and your life is now hidden with Christ in God! When Christ, your life, is revealed, then you too will be manifested with him in glory "(Col 3, 34) who lives and reigns with the Father and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.