That is at the core of "theosis" or "divinization" in Apostolic theology. Through the Spirit we can share in the divine nature (or essence). We can never assume, however, divine nature; we can only participate in it its uncreated energies.
Yes, you nailed what I was thinking at the time, in your last sentence. I suppose that since I was talking to Joe, I didn't have my Orthodox hat on! :) I don't think I had heard it expressed this way before specifically from the Catholic side. I think I get it now.
FK: "You share in the divine nature?"
Kosta: "That is at the core of "theosis" or "divinization" in Apostolic theology. Through the Spirit we can share in the divine nature (or essence). We can never assume, however, divine nature; we can only participate in it its uncreated energies."
FK: "Yes, you nailed what I was thinking at the time, in your last sentence. I suppose that since I was talking to Joe, I didn't have my Orthodox hat on! :) I don't think I had heard it expressed this way before specifically from the Catholic side. I think I get it now."
Ah well, FK, Kosta is well steeped in Palamite theology, something which very, very few Latin Rite Catholics are. Here's what +Gregory taught and which, at least at the time certainly and to an extent even now, the Latin Church rejects:
"We unite ourselves to Him [God], in so far as this is possible, by participating in the godlike virtues and by entering into communion with Him through prayer and praise. Because the virtues are similitudes of God, to participate in them puts us in a fit state to receive the Deity, yet it does not actually unite us to Him. But prayer through its sacral and hieratic power actualizes our ascent to and union with the Deity, for it is a bond between noetic creatures and their Creator."
and
"Three realities pertain to God: essence, energy, and the triad of divine hypostases. As we have seen, those privileged to be united to God so as to become one spirit with Him - as St. Paul said, 'He who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit with Him' (I Cor. 6:17) - are not united to God with respect to His essence, since all theologians testify that with respect to His essence God suffers no participation.
Moreover, the hypostatic union is fulfilled only in the case of the Logos, the God-man.
Thus those privileged to attain union with God are united to Him with respect to His energy; and the 'spirit', according to which they who cleave to God are one with Him, is and is called the uncreated energy of the Holy Spirit, but not the essence of God..."