Grace upon Grace: The Advent of Intimacy
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
John 1:1–18
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 came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.
Grace Prayed For
“Lord, I ask for the grace of Divine Indwelling: grant me the stillness to recognize your ‘tent’ pitched within my soul, so that I may live from your fullness and courageously testify to your light in every person I meet.”
Reflection
To grow in intimacy with the Trinitarian God is to first listen to the Divine Silence break. Isaiah captures a God who “will not keep still”—a God whose love is so restless and focused that He cannot rest until you are transformed.
Intimacy begins when we realize that the “preparation of the way” in our hearts is actually God’s work of renaming us. We often carry names like Forsaken or Desolate—titles given to us by our past sins, our anxieties, or a world that tells us we are only as valuable as our productivity. But in this Advent encounter, the Father looks upon you and pronounces a “new name.” He calls you My Delight.
This is the heart of the mission: we cannot witness to a hope we haven’t felt. When you allow Jesus to hold you like a “royal diadem,” you realize you are not a project to be fixed, but a jewel to be cherished. This Trinitarian love—the Father’s delight, the Son’s espousal, and the Spirit’s burning torch—impacts your life by shifting your foundation from fear to belonging. Once you know you are “Espoused” to the Divine, your very presence becomes a witness. You go into the world not just carrying a message, but radiating the vindication of one who has been loved back to life. Our mission is to look at every person we encounter and remember that God is also restless to rename them, and we are the messengers sent to whisper their true identity in Christ.
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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