Today we begin reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul greets us Christians as “the holy ones…and faithful in Christ Jesus.” Paul tells us that through our baptism we have become “holy ones” or “saints.” Paul greets us with a greeting that is often used at the beginning of mass: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
These opening lines of Ephesians are almost breathtaking as they tell us who we are as Christians, we are holy, full of grace, and filled with the peace of God. We may not see ourselves this way but God does. Who are we to argue with God? From this identity flows the imperative, what we are called to be and do as disciples of Jesus. We are called to be holy and instruments of God’s peace. As grace-filled and grateful people Paul leads us in giving thanks to God for creating and recreating us:
Blessed be the God and Father…who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing…he chose us in him…to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ.
Reflect on each of these phrases. Paul is describing you! God has filled you with the holy Spirit. God has chosen you to be holy and to be his adopted daughters and sons through Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God for all he has done for us. God gives us all of these blessings out of his love for each one of us. We do not earn these gifts; God gives them freely out of love. We give appropriate praise and thanks to God when we accept these gifts from God and live as gifted people. God will not listen to us saying that we do not deserve these gifts. God has decided to love us and fill us with his grace. All we can do is say thank-you and live as people who have been touched and even overwhelmed with the love of God. Let us listen once again to Paul’s opening greeting: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
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Image: “Saints around the Cross” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.