Life can be difficult sometimes and often we feel like strangers to ourselves while we attempt to live our lives. There is a book written about the life of poor native farmers in the mountain area of northern Peru during the early part of the 1900s. It describes a tough life facing a harsh landowner and an incredibly corrupt justice system. The author Ciro Alegria titled his novel El Mundo es Ancho y Ajeno, The World is Wide and Alien. My world is not mine. My own life is foreign to me. This is a basic experience and outlook on life felt by many people. This is not a happy experience nor a joyful perspective on life – but in our modern world it is such a common outlook that clinical depression is now an epidemic, even among teenagers and children.
Paul sees this in people’s lives over two thousand years ago. In the first reading, he calls all those who feel like strangers, sojourners, upstarts, foreigners within their own lives to a new way of life. He reminds the Ephesians (and us) that through baptism we are no longer foreigners to ourselves, to others, to God, or to our own lives but rather fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God. This is our joy as Christians – we are incorporated into the life of all the saints and of the church. Paul goes on the remind us that through the Holy Spirit we are growing into being a temple where God resides. Paul sees all Christians as being connected to each other and God through the local Christian community. Many times, our family members are difficult, and members of the Christian community are difficult – but overall, it is a joy to share our lives together. We are no longer living in a world that is large and foreign to us. We are part of God’s family. It is important to show that joy in our daily lives to all those around us. Not necessarily by preaching or clubbing others with moral judgements. But just by living as joyful people and by having and showing confidence in God.
Simon and Jude were apostles who dedicated their lives to sharing their experience as joyful members of God’s household. They built up local Christian communities grounded in the experience of God’s love.
Image: “Saints Simon and Jude” by rbs10025 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.