Daily Thought For December 1, 2015

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Living In Intimacy with God
Lectio

 Luke 10:21–24

Meditatio

   “At that very moment he rejoiced.…”

 In the verses that precede this Scripture passage the seventy-two disciples have just returned from their mission. They are rejoicing for all they did in Jesus’ name. At this Jesus tells them they should rejoice because “their names are written in heaven.” Immediately following this we read, “At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit.…”

 Jesus lives in such continuous intimacy with the Father and the Holy Spirit that he does not hesitate to praise God. This is not one of those moments when Jesus goes off to pray by himself. Instead, in the midst of Jesus’ realization of the Father’s work, the Holy Spirit stirs in him and he praises the Father aloud.

 The author of the Gospel relates that Jesus praises God with the seventy-two gathered around him. The immediacy of his prayer tells us that Jesus is not ashamed to show his intimate relationship with God to those who are gathered there. How would we ever know the level of intimacy in the Trinity if Jesus had not allowed us to see this moment of prayer? In his own profoundly simple manner, Jesus allows us to glimpse what joy and happiness are. They are by-products of a life lived in communion with God.

 This moment of intense and spontaneous prayer also reveals to us that we must share the faith we have received. Just as Jesus shares this intimate moment with his disciples and us, we are called to share our faith with our brothers and sisters.

 Being Christ-like doesn’t mean showing off for others by enumerating the times I pray or do some corporal or spiritual work of mercy—but it does mean living publicly a faith-filled witness. Am I living as Jesus did? Am I living a life of faith in public action or do I keep my faith private and to myself?

 Oratio

 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I wish to live in deeper communion with you during this Advent season. I humbly ask for the grace to place my relationship with you at my center so that you may touch and permeate all I say and do. In seeing me, may people truly see you at work in me and give you praise. May I not hesitate to recognize your work in me and in my brothers and sisters, and may I give you praise for it.

Contemplatio

 Permeate me and mold me, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.


Daughters of Saint Paul. (2009). Advent Grace: Daily Gospel Reflections (pp. 14–15). Boston, MA: Pauline Books & Media.

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