Heirs with Christ: The Intimacy That Shares
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Romans 8:12-17
Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Grace Prayed For
Based on this passage, we are prompted to pray for the grace of realizing our adoption:
“Abba, Father! Grant me the grace to truly know myself as Your beloved child. Send Your Holy Spirit to bear witness deep in my spirit, casting out all fear, so that in every encounter, I can ‘share and receive’ not as a slave, but as a joint heir with Christ, secure in Your love.”
Reflection
This passage from Romans is the very heart of your prayer. It addresses the one great obstacle that keeps us from truly sharing and receiving: fear.
Paul begins by reminding us of a debt we do not owe. We are not “debtors to the flesh.” The “flesh” is that part of us that lives by fear—fear of not being enough, fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability, fear of death. When we live “according to the flesh,” we cannot truly share or receive. We hoard our love, we protect our hearts, and we judge others to keep them at a distance.
But God, in His Trinitarian love, has given us an alternative. He has sent the Holy Spirit, whom Paul calls the “spirit of adoption.” This is the core of our intimacy. The Spirit does not make us servants; He makes us children. He rewires our spiritual DNA, and in place of the “spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,” He gives us the very Spirit of the Son, Jesus Christ.
This intimacy is so profound that the Spirit inside us cries out with the same word Jesus used in the garden: “Abba, Father!” This isn’t a formal title; it is the Aramaic word for “Daddy.” It is the language of total trust, vulnerability, and belonging.
This is how we grow in intimacy with the Trinitarian God. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, uniting our spirit to the Son’s spirit, allowing us to look upon the Father with the Son’s own love and trust. We are brought inside the Trinitarian life.
And this intimacy is what empowers our mission. When the Spirit “bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” it changes everything about our encounters.
- To Receive: Because I am a beloved child of the Father, I am no longer defined by the fear of rejection. I can receive another person—their story, their pain, their joy—without my “flesh” getting in the way. I can listen to them, not from a place of slavery, but from the security of my adoption.
- To Share: Because I am a “joint heir with Christ,” I share in His inheritance, which is the complete restoration of all things to the Father. But Paul adds a condition: “if only we suffer with him.” This “suffering” is the daily mission. It is the act of “putting to death the deeds of the body”—choosing the Spirit’s selflessness over the flesh’s fear.
In every encounter, when I choose to be vulnerable instead of guarded, when I choose to listen instead of accuse, when I choose to give instead of hoard, I am “suffering” with Christ. I am letting His love shine forth, sharing my inheritance as a child of God, and proving that the fear of the “flesh” has no power over me.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Evangelizing in Daily Life
This passage shows us that evangelization is not about winning arguments; it’s about living out our new identity as “children of God” to free others from their own fear.
- Evangelize by Being Fearless: Jesus has loved you by freeing you from the “spirit of slavery.” His love has impacted your life by telling you that you belong to the Father. When you are in a situation where others are anxious, gossiping, or acting out of fear, your “Abba” confidence—your peace, your refusal to join the panic, your gentle-but-firm truth—is a living proclamation. It shows the world that a life free from fear is possible through Christ.
- Evangelize by “Putting to Death” Your Agenda: To partner with Jesus in restoring creation means “suffering with him.” In your day-to-day life, this means “putting to death” your right to be right, your need to win, or your desire to be comfortable. When you “lose” an argument for the sake of a relationship, or when you receive someone’s criticism without lashing back, you are demonstrating the self-emptying love of Jesus. This is incredibly counter-cultural and is a powerful witness to the Gospel.
- Evangelize by Naming the Source: When people see this peace and this selfless love, they will be drawn to it. When they ask why you are this way, be ready to share how Jesus has impacted you. You can say, “I used to be driven by fear, just like everyone else. But Jesus showed me I was a beloved child of God, and His Spirit gives me the strength to love others as an ‘heir,’ not as a ‘slave.’ That has changed everything for me.”
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post