AWARENESS OF GOD WITHIN US


THURSDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINATRY TIME  

Wis 7:22-8:1; Ps 119:89-91,130,135,175; Lk 17:20-25

God dwells in His Temple

God is identical with His word. God and His holy, immutable will are the same. He is only willing for things to come into existence, for all things obey his divine will. The things God wills in communion with us, which depend on our cooperation to be realised for us, are already in existence spiritually, waiting for our reception of the gift of faith and cooperation with God to be given concrete existence for our sake. Thus, that we are God’s temple is already a spiritual reality, waiting for our assent of faith in Jesus Christ and humble cooperation with God, so that it may be made manifest in our lives and for our salvation. Because of this, the scripture defines faith as the assurance of things we hope for and the conviction of things we do not see. Cf. Rom 11:1. Since the realisation of the temple of God within us is through faith in Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, the reality of the temple begins to manifest the moment we believe in his sanctifying death and resurrection. This is when we receive a new spiritual birth through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

We cannot, therefore, doubt that we are already the temple of God, since the Holy Spirit dwells within us by our act of faith in Jesus Christ. Our position is that our new spirit is Christ dwelling within us, which is life, according to Paul. If Jesus Christ is Wisdom Incarnate, then God is within our new spirit as described in the passage from Wisdom. “Within Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, active, incisive, unsullied, lucid, invulnerable, benevolent, sharp, irresistible, beneficent, loving to man, steadfast, dependable, unperturbed, almighty, all-surveying, penetrating all intelligent, pure and most subtle spirits; for Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; he is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things.” These are the characters of the God we house within us. He is made manifest in us to the extent we humbly and faithfully cooperate with him. Our journey into the mysteries of Jesus Christ is the process of realisation of the temple of God within us. We enter into him and contain him to the extent we accept his purification of our inside for his indwelling. “In each generation she passes into holy souls, she makes them friends of God and prophets; for God loves only the man who lives with Wisdom.” The Spirit is already present with God from eternity, but enters into us and becomes concrete in us when we declare faith in Jesus Christ, which makes us friends and sons of God. By the spirit that is ours, we participate in the eternal Spirit.

Based on this, the psalmist sings that the word of God stands forever. “Your word, O Lord, for ever stands firm in the heavens: your truth last from age to age, like the earth you created.” The truth of God stands for ever spiritually awaiting those who would believe, that he may be incarnated in such holy souls. Our Lord alludes to this when he explained to the Pharisees that the kingdom of God is already here and now. “The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, 'Look here! Look there! For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.’” If we apply this statement of our Lord to our rumination on the temple of God within us, it becomes clear that we are now the temple of God, containing His Majesty, if we truly believe and confess our faith in Jesus Christ, in words and deeds. So, for all of us who believe in the Son of Man now, his coming would not be a surprise for us, for he is always within us. It would only be a physical and glorious manifestation of what we have all these while contained and worshipped in mystery. “For as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes.” All those who believed and hoped in his appearing would see him wherever they may be, for he will be made manifest to their physical eyes, as he is now spiritually visible to them.

Let us pray: Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.   

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