God Dwells Within Us

And we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. (John 14:23)

My maternal grandfather was a tall, vibrant, strapping man, who worked most of his life as an outdoor caretaker for a large estate, and then as a steam‑engine pipe fitter from 1930 through the 1960’s. He even built his own home ‘brick-by-brick’ for himself and my grandmother, and eventually my mother and her sister.

I remember as a young person watching him begin to undergo cancer treatments when not so much was known about its source or treatments. The cancer began to take a great toll on the body of a man who was rarely ever sick, causing him to quickly become bedridden. It seemed every time my parents, siblings and I visited him over what seemed like only a few months, he became very feeble until he passed away. My grandmother was right by his side through it all.

My grandfather’s suffering was my first ‘introduction’ to someone I personally knew who died. Yet, over the years, many of us have come to know people who have suffered such illnesses. It seems that the younger we are when we encounter the suffering and death of someone we love, the more difficult it is to understand ‘how this can happen’ if GOD is such a loving Father.

In fact, the reality of suffering alone, is one of the primary reasons young people today are prone to ‘disbelief’ in a good and loving GOD, since to them it ‘makes no sense.’

Now, truth be told, many of us ‘older’ folks have needed to ‘cross that bridge’ sometime in our own lives, either because of the grave suffering experienced by someone we knew and loved, or because we ourselves experienced it.

Of course, young people are often more prone to struggle with understanding how a loving and merciful GOD would allow suffering, especially when that person is a faithful believer, trusts in GOD, and prays ever faithfully. All too often, young people are ‘convinced’ that GOD must not exist and they begin to ‘write off’ GOD from their future plans in life because they want nothing to do with a GOD who permits such suffering.

Yet, I believe the Sacred Scriptures and testimony will always help us ‘begin’ the conversation with our young people in order to accompany them on their journey of faith – even to a deeper faith in our loving and merciful GOD.

Some of the most precious and seemingly unbelievable words that come from Christ are found in today’s Sunday Gospel, when Jesus says, “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)

Surely, Jesus is not ‘equating’ the human person as a ‘dwelling place’ or tabernacle of the living GOD? Well, yes, He is! In fact, the people who ‘suffer’ are made even more like Christ, whose self‑gift on the Cross was the ‘epitome’ of a loving GOD who would ‘offer’ Himself up for us so that we might ‘live’ eternally.

Equally, all of us who are ‘followers’ of Build the Faith know well that this indwelling came ‘into being’ through the suffering and death of Little Christina Dangond, who, though in pain, would continually smile and encourage others with the words, “Jesus, I trust in you!”

Yes, unbelievably, when many young people ‘struggle’ to keep the faith, one young girl inspires us to ‘Build the Faith,’one ‘pain’ at a time. When we now ‘look back’ at Christina’s life, suffering and death, we see how most fruitful her life was: numerous churches being built, years upon years of retreats for men, women and families, the sponsoring of young people to travel to World Youth Days, the support of seminarians studying to be priests, and so much more!

Yes, Christina most perfectly ‘reflects’ the One who is GOD so much, that He could not wait to bring her to Himself, for she surely ‘looked’ so much like His Son, Jesus, the suffering and risen One! May she continue to help many of our young people come to see suffering and a Faith in GOD as the ‘ultimate’ happiness: God dwelling within us!

Little Christina, pray for us!