The Presence that Dwells Within
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Philippians 4:4–9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.
Grace Prayed For
The grace to dwell in the nearness of God — to live with hearts rooted in peace, minds filled with truth, and lives that radiate Christ’s love in every encounter.
Reflection
Intimacy with God begins in the heart that chooses to rejoice — not because life is perfect, but because Love Himself dwells within. When Paul calls us to “rejoice always,” he is not asking for denial of pain or struggle, but inviting us to dwell in the Presence that transforms both. The Lord is near. This nearness is the mystery of divine intimacy: God’s presence is not distant or abstract, but living and active within us, whispering peace where anxiety once ruled.
In prayer, we open our hearts to this Presence. In the Word, we allow truth and beauty to reorient our minds. In presence — our own gift of being present to others — we become living witnesses of His peace. The disciplines of intimacy are not separate tasks; they are one movement of love that begins in being loved and overflows into loving others.
Jesus has loved me by entering into the ordinary moments of my life — my restlessness, my striving, my silence — and turning them into spaces of encounter. He has taught me that peace is not the absence of trouble, but the awareness of His nearness. His love has changed my life by teaching me to receive before I try to give, to listen before I speak, to trust before I understand.
When I rejoice in the Lord, when I give thanks even in uncertainty, when I dwell on what is true and lovely and just, I am participating in God’s great work of restoration. Each act of kindness, each moment of patience, each silent prayer becomes a small echo of His redeeming presence in the world.
The mission of intimacy is not something we perform; it is Someone we allow to live through us. The peace of Christ, once received, longs to flow outward — into our conversations, our workplaces, our families, and the wounded places of creation. As we live these disciplines of intimacy — Prayer, Word, and Presence — we become a living invitation for others to encounter the God who is already near.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Ways to Evangelize in Daily Life
Share simple stories of how Jesus’s love has transformed your outlook — not as lessons, but as invitations.
Begin each day with a prayer of rejoicing — name aloud one way Jesus has shown His nearness to you.
In every conversation, choose kindness first; let your gentleness be your witness.
Offer thanksgiving before asking for help, both in prayer and in daily speech.
Reflect on what is “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious” in the people you meet. Speak those truths to them.
Live with a peaceful presence that invites others to rest in God’s love, especially in anxious or divided moments.
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