An earnest desire to unveil the truth contained in the words of the Gospel awakens within a person a profound longing to encounter God's grace and establish a genuine union with Him.

Quest for True Communion

An earnest desire to unveil the truth contained in the words of the Gospel awakens within a person a profound longing to encounter God's grace and establish a genuine union with Him. Such a desire transforms the ritual reading of sacred texts into a living, inner search that renews the soul and cleanses the heart. By listening to the words of the Gospel, one gains not merely knowledge but—thanks to sincere openness—the opportunity to partake in the gift of God's grace, which manifests as the transformation of the spirit, enhanced strength, and a spiritual fire that are the fruits of true faith. This inner yearning for Truth has been blessed by God's providence, as exemplified by Theophilus, whose thirst to know Jesus and his pursuit of higher understanding stirred two global waves of apostolic evangelization, among which the “Gospel of Luke” holds a prominent place. It is through this sincere longing that one becomes a participant in the Kingdom of God, dwelling in constant communion with Him and being filled with the light of His presence.

Supporting citation(s):
"The character of the Gospel of Luke indicates this. It is likely that it came from those converted by Apostle Paul. But that is not the point. The soul of Theophilus remains to us only in his name, Theophilus: 'one who loves God.' Like a new Abraham, he was, of course, a friend of God and was drawn to the True God. His thirst for truth triggered two worldwide waves of apostolic evangelization: the Gospel of Luke and the Acts. There is no need to debate whether these books would have been composed without Theophilus, and it is precisely this Theophilus who desired to know about Jesus. What is important is this: God's providence, in its care for the salvation of all humanity, operated through the life and desire of this Theophilus, richly blessing his pursuit of the Truth." (source: link txt)

"Hierarch Tikhon Zadonsky: For where God is, there is the Kingdom of God, paradise, heaven, and all blessedness. God is the treasure and the source of comfort, joy, festivity, and all true blessedness; without Him, there can be no true comfort, true joy and festivity, true life, or blessedness. Man's ultimate goal is in God, in communion or living union with God." (source: link txt)