The Power of His Saving Love: A Call to Intimacy and Mission
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Phil 3:7-12
But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith—to know him and the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Grace Prayed For
This Scripture passage prompts the reader to pray for the grace of radical detachment from worldly attachments, recognizing them as “loss” in comparison to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. It also prompts prayer for the grace to fully surrender to God’s saving power, embracing His righteousness through faith, and to courageously participate in His mission of redemption.
Reflection
Pause for a moment and let the words of St. Paul in Philippians wash over your heart. “Whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ.” Can you feel the radical shift in perspective, the profound reordering of priorities that Paul describes? This isn’t just an intellectual exercise; it’s the cry of a soul utterly captivated by the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. For us, too, this passage invites a deep, personal inventory. What do we cling to as “gain”—our accomplishments, our comfort, our control? Paul calls these things “rubbish” when compared to the magnificent reality of gaining Christ. This isn’t about self-deprivation for its own sake, but about an overwhelming desire for something far greater: to be found in Him.
This “being found in Him” is the very essence of Jesus’ desire to save you. It’s not about earning your way, not about presenting your own flawless righteousness (which, honestly, is an impossible task). No, it’s “that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith.” What an incredible gift! Jesus doesn’t just offer salvation; He is salvation. He reaches out to you, not because you’ve somehow measured up, but because His love for you is boundless and unconditional. He yearns to draw you into His very life, to share with you the power of His resurrection—that transformative power that triumphs over sin and death in your life. To truly know Him is to experience this resurrection power, to feel the new life bubbling up within you, liberating you from whatever holds you captive. This intimate knowledge is not just intellectual; it’s a profound communion, a participation in His very being.
And from this deep wellspring of saving love, we are called to something more. “To know him and the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” This might seem daunting, this talk of suffering and death. But remember, this is about participation in His sufferings, not suffering for suffering’s sake. It’s about aligning our will with His, allowing Him to work in us, even through challenges, to refine us and make us more like Him. When we truly embrace Jesus’ desire to save us, we find ourselves naturally drawn into His mission. We can’t keep such a transformative love to ourselves. It overflows, compelling us to share the good news with a world so desperately in need of His saving grace. Our intimacy with the Trinitarian God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—deepens as we join in this divine work, understanding that our very lives become a testament to His power to redeem and restore.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Engage in humble conversations about faith: When appropriate, be willing to gently share your beliefs and invite questions, always respecting others’ perspectives. You don’t need to have all the answers; simply share your heart.
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