Receiving and Sharing the Grace We’re Given
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Romans 12:1-8
I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, in diligence; if one shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Grace Prayed For
This passage prompts us to pray for the grace of renewed discernment: that by God’s mercy, our minds may be so transformed that we can clearly see and humbly accept our role within the Body of Christ, joyfully sharing the specific gifts we have received and gratefully receiving the gifts of others.
Reflection
Paul begins with the foundation of all intimacy: “the mercies of God.” It is only because we have first received this overwhelming mercy that we can respond. And what is our response? Obedience. We are urged to “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.” This is the core of intimacy—a complete and total offering of our entire selves, not in death, but in life. This is our “spiritual worship.”
This offering leads to transformation. We cannot grow in intimacy with the Trinitarian God and remain unchanged. Paul says we must “be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” This is where intimacy does its deepest work, reprogramming our hearts and thoughts until we are able to “discern what is the will of God.” Intimacy allows us to see the world as God sees it.
And this transformed mind, this obedience of the heart, flows directly into mission. But what is this mission? It is not a solo act. It is the mission of the “one body in Christ.”
This is the key to your prayer: “to share and receive in all of my encounters.” Paul’s first instruction for this mission is humility—to “think soberly.” Why? Because we are not the whole show. We are “individually parts of one another.” A hand cannot say, “I do not need the eye.” A mouth cannot say, “I will not receive from the hand.”
Our mission is to share and receive. We receive our “gifts… according to the grace given to us.” They are not our own. We then share those gifts in our encounters. You may be called to share the gift of ministry, or teaching, or exhortation (encouragement). You may be called to receive those same gifts from someone else. Your mission is to generously contribute, to diligently lead, or to show mercy “with cheerfulness.”
The love of the Trinitarian God, a perfect community of self-giving, shines forth from us when we live this out. We are the love of God in the world when we humbly accept that we are one part of a body, called to both give our gifts and gratefully receive the gifts of others in every single encounter.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Fulfilling Your Mission: Daily Evangelization
Our Baptismal mission is to show others the profound and personal impact of Jesus’s love, partnering with Him to restore creation. This passage gives us a practical list of how to do that.
- Evangelize by Ministering (Serving): Jesus has loved me by serving me, by washing my feet, by meeting my deepest needs. I can share that love by “ministering” to others. This can be as simple as making a meal for a busy family, offering to run an errand for an elderly neighbor, or patiently helping a coworker with a difficult task. This is partnering with Jesus to restore a person’s strength and sense of being cared for.
- Evangelize by Exhorting (Encouraging): How often has Jesus’s love impacted me by lifting my spirits? He “exhorted” me through Scripture or a friend. I can proclaim the Gospel by being an encourager. When someone is struggling, I can share a specific time Jesus gave me hope. I can say, “I know this is hard. I remember when I felt that way, and what brought me peace was…” This is partnering with Jesus to restore hope.
- Evangelize by Showing Mercy “with Cheerfulness”: Jesus has impacted my life by showing me limitless mercy, not grudgingly, but joyfully. I can fulfill my mission by sharing that cheerful mercy. When someone is short with me in the grocery store, I can respond with a kind word. When someone makes a mistake, I can offer forgiveness freely and with a smile. This cheerfulness is the “light of the world”; it’s a radical act of love that partners with Jesus to restore joy and break cycles of anger.
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