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THE PRESENCE OF GOD [1]

The most necessary practice in the spiritual life is the presence of God, that is to take delight in and become accustomed to His divine company, speaking humbly and talking lovingly with Him at all times, at every moment without rule or system and especially in times of temptations, suffering, spiritual aridity, disgust and even of unfaithfulness and sin.

God is present to us in many ways – in the beauty of creation, in those around us, in our own hearts, and in His Church. And yet, at the same time, we can often feel as if we are not touch with Him. The whole thought of experiencing God can seem mysterious and even contradictory to us. How can we love a God who is so far above us that we cannot see Him or touch Him? The good news is that God is a Person who wants us to know Him. So much did He want us to be with Him that He gave us His only Son so that we could be reconciled to Him and share our lives with Him (see John 3:16). In Christ, our sin has been forgiven, and through the outpouring of His Spirit, we can now know God as a loving, faithful Father.

In this article, we explore some of the ways God comes to meet us in our day-to-day lives. By the power of the Holy Spirit, He lives within us. He speaks His words of life to us in scripture, and we know His presence when we gather with other Christians (Matthew 18:20). In a special way, he invites us to see Him in the poor and outcast (Matthew 25:31-46). In all these ways, we have wonderful opportunities to experience the mercy and power of our God.

As we meet the Lord in these ways, our hearts will slowly changed by His love. We will find ourselves growing closer to God, more confident in His love for us. We will be moved to share that love with others. We will find ourselves praying “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20) more frequently and with more hope and expectation. Whenever you see these things happening in you, be encouraged: God is at work in you, fulfilling His promises and making His presence known to you more deeply.

God pours out His Spirit in order to fill us with the presence and power of Jesus. Saint Paul wrote: “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit is inside each of us. He wants to unite us to Jesus, making each and every one of us a beloved child of God (Romans 8:15-16; CCC, 684). Let us pray to the Holy Spirit; ask Him to reveal Jesus to us. We can ask Him to make Jesus so real to us that we can confidently say we know Jesus Christ (see John 17:3).

Every day, we face ups and downs, and God invites us to offer every situation, every moment, even every failure, to Him. Talk to Him as you go about your day. Tell Him about your thoughts, feelings, and desires, your responsibilities and temptations. Never forget how much God loves you; as Him to be with you and to reassure you of His love, especially in times of difficulty. He is in your heart right now, a generous Father inviting you to know His presence. Never be ashamed to come to Him; He is never ashamed of you (Hebrews 2:11). He offered up His Son to bring you into His presence. He is always ready to strengthen and encourage you as you turn to Him. [to be continued]

A Christian Pilgrim

THE PRESENCE OF GOD [2]

Imagine what it must have been like for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus when Jesus – unrecognizable though He was – explained the scriptures to them (Luke 24:27-33). As they walked along with Jesus and listened to Him, their hearts began to burn within them. The tragedy of Jesus’ crucifixion had left them desolate, feeling abandoned and without hope. But now, as Jesus opened God’s word for them, their sadness and confusion gave way to great joy and expectation. They were not abandoned after all. Everything they thought had been lost was now restored – and with even greater promise. God was true to His word. He could be trusted.

God wants us to treasure His word because the Holy Spirit is present in scripture in a special way, unveiling the truth about who God is and who we are in Him. Whenever we read scripture with open hearts we can experience Jesus’ presence and receive the wisdom and direction we need for our daily lives. Just like the disciples on the way to Emmaus, our hearts too can burn with love and hope as we ask Jesus to explain His words to us: “In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet His children, and talks with them” (Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, 21).

Picture how exciting the conversation between Mary and Elizabeth must have been at the time of the visitation (Luke 1:39-56). How thrilled they must have been as they shared about the angel’s messages and the wonderful ways God was at work. Try to imagine the Holy Spirit present with them, rejoicing in their faith and filling them with joy – even moving Elizabeth’s child John to leap in the womb.

Jesus told His disciples: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Whenever you are with a fellow believer, you have an immediate opportunity to know God’s presence more powerfully. What a blessing it is to talk about scripture, the challenges of living as a Christian in the world, or the dramatic ways God is moving in our times! It is always encouraging to see the Lord working in other people’s lives, whether it be in dramatic ways such as healings or conversions, or in the everyday experiences of life. Even when we are just enjoying one another’s company and not sharing specifically about the Lord. God is still present, watching over us and blessing us.

In a special way, families can come together in Jesus’ name to pray and share their lives. Think about the conversations that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had at meals, or in their times of prayer together. Pray together as a family, thanking God for His love, for the beauty of the world around you, and for His plan your lives. Ask forgiveness of one another and freely forgive each other: Pray for your friends, for your relatives, and for the needy. Tell Jesus that you love Him; invite Him to join you at meals and in your time together.

“… for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:35-36). Have you ever noticed how easy it is for children to show compassion and help the poor – how simple-hearted and generous they can be? Jesus wants to form a child-like heart in us as well, a heart that recognizes His presence in even the most unloved and outcast of people. He wants us to see the great privilege it is to be able to let Christ, who lives in us, reach out to love these – our precious sisters and brothers. Jesus has mad us all ministers of the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15). His love can flow through us to others – even to total strangers – as we learn to practice His presence.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta has repeatedly remarked that the greatest poverty in the Western world is not a poverty of food, but a poverty of love. People are starving for love, even in our own homes. Today, seek to love those whom God puts on your heart. The next time you see a homeless person or someone you know is lonely, recognize Christ and share the love of God with her/him through your generosity and through things as simple as a smile and some kind words. Remember Jesus’ promise: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).

This month, as God pours out His Spirit in a powerful way, resolve to try to seek Jesus in every situation and every moment. He is in you; He will never leave you, Jesus promised to be with you until the end of time (Matthew 28:20). Every hour can be filled with His presence. All we have to do is continue to practice being with Him. Remember that this is a learning process, and that God is a patient teacher. We are in the school of Christ every day, and all the lessons work together to produce in us a deeper awareness of God’s presence. We can all talk encouragement from the words of scripture: “I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).