Advent with Athanasius #2: “Let Us Make Man in Our Image, After Our Likeness.” (Genesis 1:26a)

When God the Almighty was making mankind through His own Word, He perceived that they, owing to the limitation of their nature, could not of themselves have any knowledge of their Artificer, the Incorporeal and Uncreated. He took pity on them, therefore, and did not leave them destitute of the knowledge of Himself, lest their very existence should prove purposeless. For of what use is existence to the creature if it cannot know its Maker? How could men be reasonable beings if they had no knowledge of the Word and Reason of the Father, through Whom they had received their being? They would be no better than the beasts, had they no knowledge save of earthly things; and why should God have made them at all, if He had not intended them to know Him? But, in fact, the good God has given them a share in His own Image, that is, in our Lord Jesus Christ, and has made even themselves after the same Image and Likeness. Why? Simply in order that through this gift of Godlikeness in themselves they may be able to perceive the Image Absolute, that is the Word Himself, and through Him to apprehend the Father; which knowledge of their Maker is for men the only really happy and blessed life. (Extracted from his treatise on the Incarnation, chapter 3: The Divine Dilemma and the Solution in the Incarnation, continued. See ccel.org)
Scripture Extract: John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Hymn for a Time of Prayer: Once the Lord for Our Salvation
Once the Lord, for our salvation,
Left the realm of endless bliss;
And to serve, in lowly station,
Came to such a world as this.
Weary oft He toiled in weakness,
Winning erring lives from wrong;
Dwelling with the poor in meekness,
Bidding fainting souls be strong;
Bearing scorn and rude deriding,
From the proud who passed Him by;
Never the repentant chiding
For their guilt and misery.
For His heart with love o’erflowing,
Bound Him to our needy race;
Day by day the gifts bestowing
From the fulness of His grace.
Once upon a cross uplifted,
Did the Lord for sinners die,
That there might to man be gifted,
Life, to live eternally.
Shall I then with such a Giver,
Claim whate’er I have as mine?
Nay, myself and mine, for ever,
To His service I resign. (Extracted from Hymns of the Early Church, transl., John Brownlie)