Joseph visiteth his father in his sickness, who adopteth his two sons Manasses and Ephraim, and blesseth them, preferring the younger before the elder.
We are reminded of our own adoption as sons and daughters of God, through the regeneration of baptism.
“So thy two sons who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came hither to thee, shall be mine: Ephraim and Manasses shall be reputed to me as Ruben and Simeon.” (Genesis 48:5)
“And we the last became the first through faith, and the nation of the Gentiles inherited the glory of the firstborn. They obtained that honor through obedience and faith. And Christ himself testified about them by saying, ‘A people whom I did not know served me, with their ear’s hearing they obeyed me.’ Even though we were born from a mother of different kinds, since the church was called among different nations, Christ is sufficient for us as a mediator, who unites us to God the Father, and ascribes some to the lot of the saints, and gives them the right glory and declares us to be a holy generation. But see how through Jacob’s love for Joseph he placed the sons of Joseph among his own sons. And so we are also beloved in Christ, and after we were born again through him in a spiritual generation, we are received by the Father and added to the saints who preceded us. In fact, if we have been called children of God the Father, we also must be under the power and control of the one who led us and united us to him, that is, Christ. See how the holy Jacob received Ephraim and Manasseh among his own sons: ‘As for the offspring born to you after them, they will be yours.’ You understand now that even though we are called children of God, nonetheless we will be children of Christ. And this is, I believe, what he says to the Father in another passage: ‘Those whom you gave me from the world were yours, and you gave them to me, and I have been glorified in them.’” – St. Cyril of Alexandria
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2784-2785 states:
The free gift of adoption requires on our part continual conversion and new life. Praying to our Father should develop in us two fundamental dispositions:
First, the desire to become like him: though created in his image, we are restored to his likeness by grace; and we must respond to this grace. Second, a humble and trusting heart that enables us “to turn and become like children”: for it is to “little children” that the Father is revealed.
“We must remember . . . and know that when we call God “our Father” we ought to behave as sons of God. You cannot call the God of all kindness your Father if you preserve a cruel and inhuman heart; for in this case you no longer have in you the marks of the heavenly Father’s kindness. We must contemplate the beauty of the Father without ceasing and adorn our own souls accordingly.” – St. Gregory of Nyssa
Discussion: In what ways are we restored to the likeness of God? How can we keep our hearts humble and trusting in the Lord?
Women's Prayer Group In Christ 