The Intimacy That Sends Us
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
1 John 4:7-19
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this is love brought to perfection with us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.
Grace Prayed For
Pray for the grace to rest so securely in God’s initiating and perfect love that all fear is cast out, allowing you to become a free and joyful channel of His love to every person you meet.
Reflection
There is one line in this reading that changes everything: “We love because he first loved us.” All of our striving, our work for the Kingdom, our desire to be better, and our mission to share the Gospel must begin and end here. It is not our love for God that saves the world; it is His love for us. My capacity to love you, my neighbor, my family, or the stranger in the grocery store does not originate in my own goodness. It is a response, an overflow of the divine love that first sought me out when I was lost, knew me before I was formed, and claimed me as His own at my baptism.
Intimacy with God isn’t a prize we win for spiritual success; it is the free gift that fuels the entire journey. He stands at the door and knocks, not to inspect our home, but to dine with us, to share Himself with us. When I truly begin to understand that God’s love for me is not dependent on my performance, something inside me breaks free. The fear John speaks of—fear of punishment, of not being enough, of rejection—begins to dissolve. Why? Because perfect love casts out fear. When I am secure in the Father’s love, I no longer act out of a need to prove myself. Instead, I begin to act out of a deep, inner freedom and a joyful desire to share the gift I have received.
This is the heart of our mission. Evangelization is not a sales pitch. It is introducing people to the One who has utterly transformed my own life. It is allowing the love that God has poured into my heart to spill out into every single encounter. When I listen to a friend’s struggles, when I am patient with a coworker, when I forgive a family member—in these moments, I am making the invisible God visible, just as John writes. I am allowing the love I have received to become the love I give. This is how we partner with Jesus in His work of restoration: one grace-filled, fearless, and loving encounter at a time.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Evangelizing in Daily Life
Evangelization is less about a specific program and more about a posture of the heart that informs our daily actions. Here are a few practical ways to live out this mission:
Create Space for the ‘God Question.’ In your conversations, don’t be afraid to gently open the door to deeper topics. You can do this by sharing how your faith helps you navigate a challenge (“My prayer time has really been a source of peace for me this week”) or by asking a thoughtful question (“Where have you been finding hope lately?”). This isn’t about forcing a conversation but creating an opening for the Holy Spirit to work.
Evangelize with Your Ears. The most profound way to show love to someone is to truly listen to them. In a world of noise and distraction, offering someone your undivided, prayerful attention is a radical act of love. Listen to their stories, their joys, and their pains without judgment and without immediately trying to “fix” them.
Share Your Story, Not Just a Sermon. People are moved by authentic testimony. Instead of explaining the theology of redemption, share a brief story about a time you felt God’s forgiveness or peace in your own life. Talk about how Jesus has given you strength or hope. Your personal experience of being loved by God is your most powerful message.
Love Through Tangible Acts. The Gospel becomes believable when it is seen. Offer to bring a meal to a new parent, help an elderly neighbor with their groceries, or volunteer your time for a cause that serves the poor. These acts of service are the language of God’s love made practical.
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