The Epistle for this Sunday is Ephesians 1:3-14. In it, the author describes how richly God has loved us, blessed us, and filled us with hope. In response to God’s bountiful love, our chief purpose is to live for God’s glory.
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, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 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, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 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; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
This passage is perfect for this community of faith for this weekend. We will gather on Saturday for the Ordination of Trent Moore to the Sacred Order of Priests. On Sunday, we will gather again for Baptisms, Confirmations, and the Renewal of Baptismal Vows. Several will be received into the household of faith by grace and adoption in Baptism. Others will make their public declaration of faith. One will be made a Priest in Christ’s holy catholic Church. In each case, the laying on of hands by Bishop Smylie, in the tradition of the Apostles, will signify the presence and power of the Holy Spirit at work among us. Those who are presented to him for these sacramental rites, like us, are “marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.” They are beneficiaries of the same generous inheritance we have received. And they are being called in new ways to glorify God in the living of their lives, as are we.
So, as you prepare to participate in these events in this mission field of Christ’s Church, I invite you to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest this brief but powerful passage of scripture as if it were written directly to you. I invite you to pray for our Bishop, clergy, those being Baptized, those receiving the laying on of hands, and for Trent Moore, who will be made a Priest. And, I invite you to pray for our guests who have traveled far to be with us. May our life together be strengthened and bring greater glory to God.
I’ll see you in Church!