“God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ.” In this important passage from Ephesians Paul describes the mercy and love of God. Who is the one true God? Not a god quick to anger and punish but a God who is rich in mercy and ready to forgive: “because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ.” God did not wait for us to turn and repent but even while we were sinners God took the initiative and reached out to us. God is the prodigal or wasteful father who runs out and embraces his younger son even before he can speak his rehearsed words of contrition: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Luke 15:18).
Paul emphasizes not only the mercy and love of God in this passage but also the grace of God. We do not and cannot save ourselves, it is a gift or grace from God. Just to make sure we do not miss this point Paul repeats it two times: “by grace you have been saved…For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from for works, so no one may boast.” God loves each of us and showers his mercy upon us and wants to save each and every one of us. God gives this gift of his grace and love to everyone, no one is excluded. We can exclude ourselves by rejecting this gift.
We are invited today to accept this gift from God and to live as graced or gifted people by showing this same love and mercy to one another. Our acts of love and mercy do not earn us salvation since “by grace you have been saved.” Rather these acts of love and mercy flow from our experience of God’s love and mercy. Paul describes us in this way: “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”
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Image: “Return of the Prodigal Son” by lluisribesmateu1969 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.