Oneness
and Peace in Christ
Reflection
for July 22, 2018 by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFM
Mission
Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Order Franciscans of Mercy
Based on
Ephesians 2:11-19
Ephesians 2: 11-19, One of the readings for Sunday twenty second of
July is one of the moat affirming and welcoming passages that a person who
might have doubts or questions could reflect on. It begins by reminding people
that we were all considered outsiders. Today we find more and more people
withdrawing into smaller and smaller groups and differing with others over
petty and truly insignificant things. The world is being torn apart because of
national, political, racial and religious differences. Churches are being torn
apart because of same sex unions, homosexuals, woman and married priests, and
families are being torn apart because of infidelity.
We need to call to mind that this is not something new as Paul reminds
us with the following; “Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders
by birth. You were called "the uncircumcised ones" by the Jews, who
were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and
not their hearts."
This is something that we should keep in mind.
Throughout history and in our everyday life, one group or another is or has
been looked upon as an outsider by other groups or nations. I believe we all
have experienced the feeling of “Not being one of the accepted ones”. Every Day
we read about some group or another being excluded because “they are
different”. This passage lets us know that the followers of Christ themselves
were considered such, and today many still are because they do not conform to
the manmade rules.
Paul reminds the newly converted of Ephesus that those things only
affect the body and not their hearts. It is our hearts and souls, the way we
live that determines if we are outsiders or part of the accepted crowd.
The important thing to remember is that, if you totally accept Jesus
Christ as your Redeemer and Savior and you live a life according to His
teachings, you are not an outsider, at least not in God’s eyes. And isn’t that
what really counts?
“But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away
from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of
Christ.”
“He has
broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us.”
This part of
the message is also very enlightening, and important in light of the events
taking place in the Middle East. It explains Christ mission here on earth and
as followers of Christ we are called to continue His purpose. “His purpose
was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new
person from the two groups.“
I feel that
possibly that part of the message might have been left for us to fulfill. In
fact I feel certain that it is our responsibility as followers and believers of
Jesus message to work toward bring peace to all of God’s children, Muslims,
Jew, Arab, Asian, Latino, Gay or straight, man and woman and all Who proclaim
to believe in Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately,
the next part of the message seems to not have come to fulfillment, “
Now all of
us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit
because of what Christ has done for us.”
The next
part of the letter of Paul reminds us that Our Bodies become a Temple for the
Lord.
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are
citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.
We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And
the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined
together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are
also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”
If we are temples for the lord, then why do we defile that temple by
prejudice, hatred, violence, war, and discrimination. If we are temples of the
Lord, why do we allow people to suffer because of poverty, lack of medical
attention, loneliness‘, inadequate affordable housing?
If we are truly the temples of God, then we need to be open to all as
God is open to all. We need to stop separating ourselves into one of the groups
that look upon others as outsiders and start living as one group. We need to
come together as one family, the family of Almighty God, brothers and sisters
of Jesus Christ. We need to accept the differences that exist in each
individual, group, denomination, just as Jesus accepted all different people
and groups.
We need to begin to live as Jesus instructed us. Jesus is called; THE
PRINCE OF PEACE, we need to work for and in him to achieve that Peace in each
of us and between all the various groups, nations, and churches. AMEN
“God's love is everlasting and infinite and His mercy and compassion is
unlimited.”
AMEN
