God has made us for Himself

Fra angelico - conversion de saint augustin
Fra Angelico (circa 1395–1455) and workshop. Conversino of St Augustine. Musée Thomas Henry (Cherbourg-Octeville)
To affirm that God has made us in His own image and likeness is to recognise that we have a human nature that is created, given to us by God. Our human nature is what makes us to be human rather than simply animals and we share it with every human person that has ever lived, independent of our culture, time or circumstances.

When God gave the ten commandments to Moses, He set out a way of life that is in accord with our created nature. Sin contradicts our nature, is an offence against God, damages our relationships with others and damages our spiritual life by harming our soul.

These fundamental truths are challenged today by those who see everything as changeable by human choice. It is the ancient temptation of the serpent to think that by acting against the way that we are made by God, we can somehow become gods ourselves. As always, the devil is a liar who brings misery.

To pray, do penance and act with charity, keeping the commandments and giving God His rightful place in our lives, is the path to genuine freedom and lasting happiness. This happiness is not only something to look forward to in the future of eternal life, but offers us peace in this present life despite all the trials and tribulations that we may face.

The great Saint Augustine of Hippo put it very simply in a famous sentence which can be a heartfelt prayer of praise and thanksgiving “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.”