We often hear that becoming a Christian means “entering into a personal relationship with Jesus”. However, what lies behind this expression?
Having a personal relationship with Jesus involves establishing an intimate connection with Him characterized by faith, trust, and closeness. Through prayer and allowing His teachings to guide our thoughts and actions, we come to know Jesus personally.
This relationship goes beyond merely knowing about or believing in Jesus. It entails welcoming Him into our lives, participating in His mission, and conforming ourselves to His vision. We experience Christ’s presence, love and transformative power touching every aspect of our being.
Cultivating this friendship with Jesus transforms us from within. We abide in Christ by partaking of His body and blood in the Eucharist. This communion nurtures our bond with Him. Through it, the life of Christ takes root in our hearts. His companionship gives meaning and fulfillment to life’s journey.
Our relationship with Jesus is lived out through concrete acts of love, mercy and service. In modelling our actions on God’s gratuitousness, we become patterns of new life for others. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we mirror Jesus’ own style of relating to the world around us.
This vital connection to Christ sustains us in times of joy and sorrow. It is marked by a constant closeness surpassing all human relationships. Jesus walks ever at our side, ready to console and guide. Seeking Him with open and humble hearts allows us to recognize His living presence in our daily lives.
In short, we know we have a personal relationship with Jesus when we seek intimacy with Him through prayer, open our hearts to His presence, and allow His teachings to guide our lives. This involves an active, dynamic faith that touches every aspect of our being. We abide in Christ by partaking of His body and blood in the Eucharist. We share in His mission to the world through acts of love, mercy and service. Our friendship with Jesus gives meaning and purpose to life’s journey, as He walks closely at our side. This deep bond transforms us from within, fully conforming us to God’s image. In this personal relationship, we come to see reality with His vision and to mirror His self-giving nature with all people. Through the gift of the Spirit, the very life of Christ takes root in our hearts.
Pierre-Alain Giffard
Other articles on evangelization and parish revitalization:
- Unleashing The Evangelization Potential of Your Parish
- The Ultimate Goal of Evangelization
- God’s Longing for Love and our Mission to Make it Known
- A prayer for those whom we wish to encounter Christ
- Memorable Sundays
- Fr. Bedard’s Three-Step Blueprint for Evangelisation
- Guide for The Missionary Transformation of Parishes
- Divine Encounters: A Practical Guide for Small Evangelization Groups
- The Missionary Transformation of Sant’Eustorgio Parish
- Creating Vibrant Faith Communities: Insights from ‘Excellent Catholic Parishes’
- Sharing The Gospel According to People’s Needs And Receptivity
- A Prayer for Inviting Others to Evangelization Meetings and Services
- Welcoming Church Guests and Visitors: Dos and Don’ts
- Various Dimensions of Evangelization
- The True Measure of Success
- Pope Francis on Evangelization
- Revitalizing the Rural Parish for Mission
- Factors Leading to Christian Conversion
- Evangelizing Through Random Acts of Kindness
- Questions To Start Spiritual Conversations
- Three Feet From Gold
- Spreading the Gospel One Act at a Time
- Gather, Witness and Invite
- Prayer to Receive the Spiritual Gifts of The Holy Spirit
- The Language of Evangelization
- Key Factors for Parish Growth According to Rich Birch
- How to defeat Satan?
- Bringing Love, Hope and Healing Through the Gospel
- Love: Our Fundamental Vocation
- Touched by the Master
- A Man, a Dog, and the Ultimate Love
- The essence of evangelization: Loving God and our neighbours
- Loving Our Enemies and Reconciling with Others
- A Powerful Prayer for Healing: You Are The LORD Who Heals Me
- Living a Life of Love: Mother Teresa’s Legacy
- Living a Life of Love: Lessons from the New Testament
- In The Shadows Of Darkness, A Powerful Force Is At Work
- 19 Pastoral Orientations for Parish Renewal and Growth
- The Missionary Renewal of Catechesis
- Characteristics of missionary parishes
- Powerful healing prayer attributed to St. Padre Pio
- We are called to share our faith with others
- Should we seek to grow the Church?
- Find a Need and Fill It – Revealing God’s Heart in the Community
- 15 Habits to Evangelize on a Daily Basis
- The Church’s Mission
- Three Barriers to Building An Invitational Culture In Your Parish
- The Relational Evangelizer
- Doing Church at Home
- The Blind Girl
- A Group of Frogs
- The Elephant Rope
- A Shared Faith is a Growing Faith
- In The Shoes Of The Unchurched
- Parish Evangelizing Cells
- Six Unique Features of Missional Parishes
- Steps Towards Becoming A Missional Parish
- What Is Evangelization, And How Should It Be Carried Out?
- Discussion And Self-Assessment Questions For Parish Evangelization
- A Missional Church Is A Church That Prays
- The Jesus Prayer: A Method To Pray At All Times
- What can help children raised Catholic continue practicing the faith as adults?
- An Example of a Missionary Parish: Phoenix First Assembly of God
- Satan’s Tactics
- Learning to Be a Missionary
- When we cry out to God, he answers
- Presence and Proclamation
- Saving those who are lost
- Saint-Nazaire Parish: The story of a missionary transformation
- Small Groups and Evangelization
- Evangelizing By Inviting People To Receive Jesus As Lord And Saviour
- You Will Receive Power…
- Have You Heard About the Law of Three Hearings and Seven Touches?
- Three Habits of a Fruitful Christian Life
