The Indwelling: God’s Plan for Intimacy
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
John 14:15-26
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.
Grace Prayed For
The grace to be so profoundly aware of the Trinity dwelling within me that I may be docile to the Holy Spirit’s prompting in every moment, allowing Christ’s own love and peace to be the true source of all that I share and receive.
Reflection
One of the deepest human fears is the fear of being abandoned, of being left alone. In this passage, Jesus looks right into that fear and speaks a promise that shatters it: “I will not leave you orphans.” This isn’t just a comforting phrase; it is the foundation of a new and radical intimacy. He is about to depart physically, but He is preparing to come to us in a way that is even closer, more personal than walking beside us. He is preparing to dwell within us.
This intimacy has a gateway: love expressed through action. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” At first, this might sound like a transaction, a test we must pass. But Jesus is revealing a profound spiritual truth. Keeping His word—to love, to forgive, to serve—isn’t about earning His affection. It’s about shaping our hearts to be able to receive it. It’s like tuning an instrument; by living out His teachings, we tune our very souls to the frequency of His love, making us capable of recognizing and welcoming His presence.
And how does He come to us? Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate. This is the masterstroke of God’s plan for intimacy. He doesn’t just send messages from afar; He sends His very Spirit to make a home inside of me. Think about that: “we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” The Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—desires to take up residence in my heart. My mission to “share and receive” love in every encounter is no longer my mission alone. It becomes the overflow of the Divine life already happening within me. When I interact with another person, I am not just bringing myself; I am bringing the Divine Guest who dwells within me. The love I share is His love. The peace I offer is His peace. My life becomes a living tabernacle, a place where heaven and earth meet, and every encounter is an opportunity for that Divine love to shine forth.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Evangelizing in Daily Life
Fulfilling our Baptismal mission flows from this reality of the indwelling God. Here are a few ways His love, which has so impacted my own life, can shine through you:
- Be a Non-Anxious Presence: The world is full of anxiety and chaos. The Spirit gives a “peace the world cannot give.” When you remain calm and centered in a stressful meeting, a difficult family situation, or a moment of crisis, you are silently proclaiming that your peace comes from a deeper source.
- Share Your “God Moments”: The Spirit “reminds” us of everything Jesus taught. When you experience a moment of grace, a small answer to prayer, or a sense of God’s presence, don’t be afraid to share it naturally. Saying something like, “You know, I was really struggling with that, and I prayed about it, and then this happened…” makes your faith journey relatable and real.
- Advocate for Others: Jesus sends the “Advocate.” We can be advocates for those around us. This could mean standing up for a coworker who is being treated unfairly, listening to the story of someone who feels invisible, or defending the dignity of the poor or marginalized. This is loving as Jesus loved.
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