Loved, Redeemed, Revealed: My Life as Mission
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Grace Prayed For
This passage prompts the reader to pray for the grace of radical trust in God’s indwelling power and a profound acceptance of personal vulnerability, understanding that it is precisely through our weakness that Christ’s “surpassing power” is most clearly manifested.
Reflection
Pause with me for a moment on these profound words from Paul. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels.” Doesn’t that just resonate deeply within your own experience? Think of the most precious gift you’ve ever received – perhaps a love so immense it changed your life, or a truth so liberating it reshaped your entire perspective. Now imagine that gift, that very treasure, residing not in a magnificent, impenetrable vault, but within something as fragile, as everyday, as an “earthen vessel.” That vessel, beloved, is you. It is me. It is our very humanity, with all its cracks, imperfections, and vulnerabilities.
This “treasure” Paul speaks of is nothing less than the glorious light of the Gospel, the life of Jesus Christ Himself. It is the breathtaking reality that Jesus, in His infinite desire to save us, chose not to remain distant, but to pour His very self into our fragile existence. He didn’t just save me from afar; He entered into my brokenness, embracing my weakness, and making His dwelling there. My life, with all its struggles and imperfections, becomes the very place where His “surpassing power” is revealed. It’s not my strength that triumphs, but His life, His love, actively working through me.
Think of those times you’ve felt “afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” In those moments, when human strength felt utterly insufficient, it was the indwelling life of Jesus—the treasure—that kept you from being utterly consumed. He didn’t promise a life free from suffering, but a presence within suffering. He carried His dying, His passion, so that His life could be powerfully manifested in us, through us.
This is the intimacy of our Trinitarian God. The Father’s loving plan, executed by the Son, and brought to life in us by the Holy Spirit. It’s a relationship where God isn’t just for us, but in us, transforming our earthen vessels into radiant displays of His grace. Because Jesus desires so profoundly to save me, to save you, He allows His light to shine precisely through the places where we are most aware of our need for Him. My personal encounters with His saving love—the forgiveness received, the comfort in sorrow, the strength in weakness—are not just private blessings. They are the very manifestations of His life, meant to be seen.
And this leads us to the mission. If Jesus has loved me with such an immense, indwelling love, how can I not desire to share this treasure? My life, authentically lived, becomes a testament to His saving power. Every encounter, every conversation, every act of service is an opportunity for “the life of Jesus to be manifested in our mortal flesh.” It’s not about grand gestures (though God can use those!), but about allowing the treasure within to subtly, yet powerfully, illuminate the world around me. My Baptismal mission is precisely this: to partner with Jesus in this ongoing work of restoration, to let His light, residing within my own fragile vessel, draw others into the radiant embrace of the Triune God. It’s my joyful response to being so utterly and intimately loved.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Share Your Story (When Appropriate): Don’t be afraid to briefly and authentically share how Jesus has impacted your life, how His love has helped you navigate challenges, or brought you peace. Focus on personal experience rather than theological debate.
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