Friday, July 25, 2025
Feast of Saint James, Apostle
My sisters and brothers in the Lord,
Welcome to week thirty of BMW, Be My Witnesses. We are now starting another cycle of preparation for and then living out being Christ’s missionaries. If you know someone who has not yet participated in this activity, this would be a good time to extend an invitation. We again begin with prayer. This week, let us recall that through our Baptism, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are actually dwelling within us having brought us into this divine fellowship.
Prayer: The Indwelling Divine Fellowship of the Trinity
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God?” (I Corinthians 3:16). This, of course, happened at our Baptism. We often don’t think about this very personal presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit actually dwelling within us. This is not only the presence of the things of God, but his actual real presence in ourselves. St. Peter even notes that this allows us “to share in the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4).
Now the New Testament will at times speak of Christ dwelling within us, as Paul writes, “yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me,” (Galatians 2:20). It also speaks of God, most likely indicating the Father, “Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God” (I John 4:15). And, of course, there are numerous texts which speak of the Spirit dwelling in us, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you?” (I Corinthians 6:19). Frankly, where one of the persons of the Blessed Trinity is, there are the others as well, all dwelling within each one of us.
Jesus desired this as he told us at the Last Supper: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth” (John 14:16-17) and “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” (John 14:23). This reality must affect our prayer life if we are to be sent forth as missionary disciples. But how?
First, as we pray, let us be more strongly aware of the presence of these three divine persons actually within us, a presence which brings us the consolation of the Truth and the outpouring of real love. This awareness means we know God, not as points of data, but as friend, that we are members of the divine family. We have been begotten as sons and daughters in Christ Jesus. As such we really come to enjoy the company of God, something that gives us a permanent joy even in the midst of trials.
Secondly, our prayer then becomes a conversation with the Spirit moving us to enter into that love relationship between the Father and the Son.
Thirdly, our prayer is then always marked by gratitude. Since this is such a personal encounter, we are relating to God as the unique individual that each one of us is. No one relates to God as I do nor does God to me except respecting my individuality. Thanks be to God for such intimacy.
My Challenge
For our challenge of this week, let us enter into such a prayer time and then, if you are up to it, share your experience with your small group.
Until next week, may God Bless you.
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here is a video version of this week's Be My Witnesses. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.