There are two key elements to the mission of Jesus. First, he remains faithful to the Father which means he has come to do the Father’s will. Second, he leads those entrusted to him to the Father so that the disciples remain in him as He remains in the Father.
The fruits of these two essential components of his mission are peace and our ability to dwell in the Father and the Father dwell in us.
The idea of indwelling takes the relationship we have with Jesus and the Father to an entirely new and elevated level.
Previously, there was the Covenant of the Old Testament whereby God promises to be their God (i.e., Protector, Shepherd, King, Provider) and the people promise to be faithful to Him. This covenant has its ups and downs. There are moments when the people of Israel thrive and prosper. Then there are times when they languish and suffer as a result of their infidelity.
All this changes with Jesus. He has come to establish a New Covenant. The King of God he introduces is the beginning of that Covenant. It will be sealed with his blood shed upon the cross and ratified by his resurrection.
The result is God will never be far from us. No matter what happens, the Father through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit will always remain close to us.
No longer is there a divide between God’s world and our world. God no longer dwells in a tent or a temple but within each human heart.
Therefore, let us continue to rejoice that we have been more than saved. We have been welcomed into the family of God and he chooses to dwell within each one of us!
Fr Tom