Ephesians 1:3-14
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
After the terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve, a friend asked, “how can a person get to the place where they’re so full of hate that they want to do something like that?”. Our answer to that question took the better part of an hour because it’s a complex issue. It finally distilled down to our inherent need to be seen, heard, and validated. When a group of people begins to believe that they’re being overlooked, or oppressed in some way, they begin to look for someone to blame. This makes them prime targets for unscrupulous people who groom them into committing horrible acts of violence by convincing them that a certain group of people are sub-human and that these sub-humans are responsible for all of society’s problems. This manufactured prejudice and hatred provides a warped sense of value and belonging for those who aren’t finding it anywhere else.
When we’re told that Jesus has blessed us with every spiritual blessing – that we are God’s chosen people who are heirs to the eternal kingdom of God, it makes us feel pretty good about ourselves, as it should. It’s also easy to believe that all these things make Christians superior to others. It’s easy to believe, but it’s absolutely incorrect!
St. Paul makes it perfectly clear that, through our Baptism into Jesus death and resurrection, we are among the firstborn of the new creation. As the older siblings, it is our responsibility to prepare the way for the rest of the world that Jesus will “gather up” in the fullness of time. Instead of being set apart for special treatment, God has given us the privilege of welcoming everyone else into the fold.
Prayer: Lord Jesus: I have such a deep desire to be special – to be noticed and affirmed. Fill me with such a deep sense of your love for me that all I want to do is share it with others. AMEN