It looks like something a kid made up.
Actually, it was Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr.
I did clarify that on another post on the thread.
Thank you for the quote from the CCC. I don't think that it denies my assertion though. Whether the Orthodox say it, or we say it, the truth of the matter is that we don't reflect on what this "partaking of the divine nature" means as much as we ought to.
-Theo
“12. The end of man in this life and the next is similar between the Orthodox and the Catholics but I believe the Orthodox “sing it in a higher key.” While Catholics would say that the “end of man is to serve God in this life to be reasonably happy in this life and completely happy in the next,” a rather succinct explanation of what being “holy” entails, the Orthodox Church would say that the end of man is “deification.” They will say that God became man so that man may become “god” in the order of grace, not of nature of course. Men – in the Greek the word for “man” still includes “womankind” – are called to partake fully of the divine nature. There is no “taxonomy” of grace in the Orthodox Church, no “quantification” between “Sanctifying Grace” and actual grace, enabling grace, etc. Every grace is “Sanctifying Grace,” who – in this Catholic and Orthodox agree – is a Person, rather than a created power or effect geared to our sanctification. Grace is a continuum, rather than a set of discreet episodes interspersed through a Christian’s life; for an Orthodox Christian, every Grace is Uncreated. The consequences of such a view are rich, unfathomable, and rarely studied by Catholic Christians.”
#12 was posted as the teachings of the Catholic Church. They were false teachings. It’s important to correct them as this is how rumors/misunderstandings can occur.
Again, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
460 - The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”: “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.” “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” “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.”
Then there’s the Holy Mass, where we live this teaching and, have done since the ancient Church. It’s the Offertory at Mass, in both the old and new Roman rite that contains this prayer:
“By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”
If we didn’t share in his divinity, then there would be only actual grace. But from Baptism onwards we receive Supernatural Graces — graces above our human nature.
If we did not share in his divinity, then we would be capable of only human faith, hope and charity as a result of our own strength of character. But we receive Supernatural Virtues— Faith, Hope and Charity by the power of God.
If we did not share in his divinity, then we would receive only his humanity in Holy Communion. But we receive the whole Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
As the priest adds a few drops of water to the wine in the chalice, he prays, “By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the Divinity of Christ, who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.”
This action thereby symbolizes the hypostatic union of our Lord’s divine and human natures. In the mystery of the incarnation, Jesus Christ, true God, became also true man. Remember at the crucifixion, the Roman soldier thrust his lance to the side of Jesus, piercing His Sacred Heart, and from His wounded side flowed Blood and Water (cf. John 19:34).
Therefore, the saving benefits of our Lord’s incarnation, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension touch the lives of the faithful and are especially granted through the Holy Eucharist. And it is through the Holy Eucharist, that faithful share in the divine life and love of Jesus who became man for our salvation.
As the priest places a piece of the Sacred Host into the chalice, he prays, “May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.” This gesture represents the unity of the Sacrament: the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus is truly and fully present in both the Precious Blood in the Chalice and the Sacred Host on the paten.
Another important symbolic explanation for this rite is given in St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologiae, III pars q 74, 6-8:
“Water ought to be mingled with the wine which is offered in this sacrament.
“First of all, on account of its institution: for it is believed with probability that our Lord instituted this sacrament in wine tempered with water according to the custom of that country: hence it is written (Proverbs 9:5): ‘Drink the wine which I have mixed for you.’
“Secondly, because it harmonizes with the representation of our Lord’s Passion: hence Pope Alexander I says (Ep. 1 ad omnes orth.): ‘In the Lord’s chalice neither wine only nor water only ought to be offered, but both mixed because we read that both flowed from His side in the Passion.’
“Thirdly, because this is adapted for signifying the effect of this sacrament, since as Pope Julius says (Concil. Bracarens iii, Can. 1): ‘We see that the people are signified by the water, but Christ’s blood by the wine. Therefore when water is mixed with the wine in the chalice, the people [are] made one with Christ.’
“Fourthly, because this is appropriate to the fourth effect of this sacrament, which is the entering into everlasting life: hence Ambrose says (De Sacram. v): ‘The water flows into the chalice, and springs forth unto everlasting life.’”
These different explanations form the basis for the Church’s understanding of the importance of this rite. This understanding is at the root of the sentiment expressed by the prayer which the priest recites in a low voice as he pours the water into the chalice:
“By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”
Using a Protestant Pastor as a source to explain CC teachings is puzzling especially since there are excellent resources from the CC online.
Catholic theologians have written extensively on Divination/Meditation etc., - there’s lots of information out there along with a few good classics. I can give you some sites if you would like...:)
That said, I agree we haven’t truly begun to understand this great mystery.