Reflecting Upon Our Salvation

In reflecting upon our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, it is important in these times to remember that Jesus came to save all of humanity. God from the beginning has been reaching out to each of us to “repent and believe the good news.” But what does it really mean that Jesus came to redeem us, and do we appreciate what Jesus has done? Often, we can be distracted by the world and the things going on around us. This year has been particularly difficult for so many around the world. Recently Pope Francis, in one of his addresses said the following in relationship to Covid-19, “The purpose of crying out to the Lord in prayer is not to get used to suffering, but to remember that God, and not humankind, is the only source of salvation and consolation.”

Jesus desires deeply for us to spend our lives with him for all eternity. As we approach Advent, there is always an opportunity to reflect and to spend time with the one who shed his very blood for us. In Revelations 3:20, sacred scripture says “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” Jesus is constantly knocking on the door of our hearts waiting for us to invite him in. He cares so much about this relationship; he is willing to keep knocking until we listen and open the door. Once we do, he wants to draw us closer and empower us to fully live our lives.

But, God wants us to know him, powerfully, in the stories we hear each Advent and to give us a real understanding to the deeper meaning in the story. In the next verse he says, “I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory, and sit with my Father on his throne.” What a privilege? Once, while in college, I was with some brothers and sisters and we met to pray before going out to evangelize on our campus. The only place we could find was in the upstairs area of our student hall. As we prayed, a prophecy came saying, “Come into my throne room where I am.” I remember as a quiet calm came over everyone, God’s presence filled that place, much like Pentecost, and each of us knelt down in reverence, some seeing a vision of God seated on the throne. In the quiet God spoke to each of us. We went out rejoicing and the witness of that moment showed itself when large groups of people stayed to listen to us as we shared the gospel with them across the campus that night.

Jesus wants to be real and allow the fullness of His salvation to be lived out through each of us. Dr. Michael Patrick Barber, in his book titled “Salvation ‘What every Catholic Should Know’, says, “As Catholics, we think we know what being saved means – until we are asked about it. Only then do many of us come to realize how little we have actually reflected on what salvation really involves. We even tend to substitute other phrases for “salvation.” When I told a Catholic friend that I was writing a book about salvation, his immediate reaction was: ‘Why not just call it How to Get to Heaven?’ I had to laugh. That is precisely my point. Rarely—if ever! —do we Catholics talk to another about being ‘saved.’”

We need to stop and ponder what this should mean in our lives. Reflection means taking time to ponder like Mary. She took moments in life to stop and spend time with God looking at all of the events that had transpired in her life and those around her. It is a trait we should want to imitate in our blessed Mother. We can even ask for her intercession to help us. She is always pointing us toward her Son, and she wants each of her children to come to know him more deeply. When the angel Gabriel announces she would be with child, she was not afraid, but pondered its meaning and by doing so, gave her fiat to God surrendering to the grace of that moment.

God gives us opportunities in this life to come by the wayside and spend time with him. He wants us to know him much more. In “Storytelling Imagination and Faith” by William J. Bausch, he recounts the story of Moses and the burning bush and how the Jewish rabbis would give an answer based upon reflection and God’s interaction with them. He says, “A pagan once asked Rabbi Joshua ben Qarehah, ‘Why of all things, did God choose the humble thornbush as the place from which to speak to Moses?’ The rabbi replied, ‘If he had chosen a carob tree or a mulberry bush, you would have asked me the same question. Yet, it is impossible to let you go away empty handed. That is why I am telling you that God choose the humble thornbush – to teach you that there is no place on earth bereft of the Divine Presence, not even a thornbush.” God wants to take us to a deeper understanding of himself and the truth contained in them.

Matthew Kelly, in his new book, “I Heard God Laugh” recounts his first experience of talking to God and how it profoundly changed his life. Through that experience it has led him to want to share with others how to do the same and to find more time for prayer in one’s life. He offers others a way that he found through this experience in his own life and now desires to see this happen in others. That is what is meant by our experiences with God. He has brought salvation through Jesus to each of us and now wants us to share that with others through the relationship we have with him and the unique experiences we each have of his grace in our lives.

I hope during this Advent, you will take the time to talk to Jesus and reflect more deeply on the salvation he has given to you in the stories and your own personal reflection time. As you do, take some time to share with someone what you are experiencing and what this means to you. Don’t be afraid to go deeper with God, for he wants you to experience so much more. Know that Jesus has a deep love for you and those around you. Until next time, may God richly bless you and your families bringing healing, peace, and joy in this season.