Clothed in Christ: From Intimacy to Encounter
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Colossians 3:12-17
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, a peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Grace Prayed For
The passage prompts us to pray for the grace to fully receive our identity as God’s “chosen, holy, and beloved,” so that we may “put on” the virtues of Christ not as a burden, but as a joyful expression of the love we have first received. Pray for the grace to let the Word of Christ dwell so richly in you that the Peace of Christ rules your heart, empowering you to share with others the same forgiveness and compassion the Father has shown you.
Reflection
Before we are asked to do anything, we are first told who we are: “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” This is the foundation of intimacy. Our identity is not something we earn through our disciplines; it is a gift, an identity given to us by the Father, secured by the Son, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. We are already beloved. Our prayer, our time in the Word, our seeking of His presence—these are not labors to win His love, but the disciplines of receiving a love already given.
Paul then gives us a spiritual wardrobe. He tells us to “put on” heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. This is where intimacy meets the mission. We cannot share what we have not received. We cannot “put on” compassion unless we have first been wrapped in the Father’s compassion. We cannot “put on” forgiveness unless we are intimately aware of the staggering debt we have been forgiven by Christ. The discipline of the Word is what allows “the word of Christ” to dwell in us richly, teaching us who He is and how He loves. The discipline of Prayer is “giving thanks to God the Father through him,” the constant, grateful response to this love.
This intimacy transforms our encounters. When we are secure in our identity as “beloved,” we no longer enter encounters wondering what we can get. Instead, we enter them asking what we can give. We are free to “share and receive.” We can receive others in their brokenness because Christ first received us in ours. We can share kindness without reservation because we draw from the infinite well of God’s kindness.
This is what it means to live in His Presence. “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Every encounter—with a family member, a coworker, or a stranger—becomes holy ground. Every word becomes a potential hymn, every deed a potential prayer. Our mission is not a separate, scheduled event. Our mission is the encounter, and the encounter is our chance to let the Triune God, who is a perfect community of self-giving love, shine through us. We become a living, breathing testament to how Jesus has loved us, and in doing so, we invite others into that same life-changing intimacy.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Here are a few ways to evangelize in your daily life, focusing on your personal testimony of how Jesus has loved you:
- Evangelize Through Forgiveness: The passage is clear: “as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.” When you have the opportunity to forgive someone—especially when it’s difficult—you are preaching the most powerful sermon. If the moment is right, you can share how you’re able to do it: “It’s not easy, but I can only do this because I know how much Jesus has forgiven me. His love has changed my life, and it’s the only way I can find the strength to let this go.”
- Share Your “Why”: The passage says to “let the peace of Christ control your hearts.” The world is full of anxiety. When you exhibit a supernatural peace or joy in a difficult situation, people will notice. When they ask how you’re handling things, this is your open door: “Honestly, my peace doesn’t come from my circumstances. It comes from my relationship with Jesus. Knowing He has loved me and has a plan for me, even in this, is what holds me together.”
- Consecrate Your “Whatever”: The instruction is to do “whatever you do… in the name of the Lord Jesus.” This transforms your “day-to-day” into a mission field. When you do your work with excellence, listen to a coworker with “heartfelt compassion,” or show “patience” in a frustrating situation, you are living the Gospel. This presence is a form of proclamation. It makes your partnership with Jesus tangible, actively participating in His mission to restore creation one relationship, one task, and one kind word at a time.
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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