Identity and Purpose: Living in the Riches of His Grace
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Ephesians 2:1-10
You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the cravings of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and the senses, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not because of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.
Grace Prayed For
The grace to internalize our identity as God’s beloved , moving us from self-condemnation to confident action in the good works prepared for us.
Reflection
This passage is a foundational truth of our Identity: we were spiritually dead, lost in the chaotic “age of this world.” But then, the great pivot: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us…”
Stop and let the intimacy of that phrase sink in. Our Trinitarian God didn’t wait for us to clean up our act; He loved us while we were still “dead in our transgressions.” The depth of this love—this immeasurable riches of his grace—is the singular event that transforms my life and yours. Jesus has loved me and loved you by bringing us to life with Him, raising us up, and seating us in the heavens. This radical act defines who we are: we are His beloved, rescued by His boundless mercy.
This grace-filled identity is immediately connected to our Purpose. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for them. St. Paul uses the beautiful word (the Greek word is poiēma, from which we get the word “poem”). We are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance. This means our purpose is built into our very being; our mission is woven into our redeemed identity.
To live as His beloved is to constantly share and receive the overflow of this grace. We receive the truth that we are His and we share that truth by stepping into the good works He has laid out. We are partnered with Jesus in the mission to restore all of God’s creation simply by doing the loving, purposeful acts that flow naturally from a heart that knows it is wholly and irrevocably loved. Our love shines forth when we allow the “handiwork” of God to be seen in the goodness we manifest.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Evangelizing in Day-to-Day Life
Fulfilling our Baptismal mission by partnering with Jesus to restore all of God’s creation happens when we operate from our redeemed identity:
Authentic Vulnerability (Receiving): When someone asks about your struggles, briefly and humbly share how you rely on God’s rich mercy rather than your own efforts. This proclaims the Gospel by showing that our strength comes from grace, not works, making faith relatable and real.
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