Word to the Wise
Thursday, October 17, 2024 - Thursday in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 1:1-10 and Luke 11:47-54]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. [Ephesians]
The Letter to the Ephesians, which will be the source for the first scripture for Mass for the next few days (with some interruptions) has much to teach us, especially in the concept of the Body of Christ. Today's passage is the opening vision, and it is a grand one. All of time and creation are summed up in "the Christ event" - i.e. Christ is seen as the culmination of all of God's plan for humanity. Such thoughts are a lot to take in, considering our daily challenges and at a daily Mass, but we can all use "uplifting" to help us with those challenges.
The vision speaks of believers as being "chosen" in Christ "before the foundation of the world!" and "destined for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ." This is not the kind of "predestination" that some strands of Christianity have historically taught, relying in part on some of St. Augustine's thoughts. Everything is not "predetermined" so that we have no role or responsibility in our relationship with God. Instead, the Letter to the Ephesians speaks broadly of all those who come to faith in Jesus Christ. Human beings retain freedom of will but are offered, as we were in the Garden of Eden, a wonderful relationship with God in the midst of all creation. Humanity in the persons of Adam and Eve lost that full relationship and Christ came to restore it in God's broad plan.
With such an opening vision, we may expect much that will help us to understand its implications. The days to come will require us to "stay tuned." AMEN