Jer 23:1-6 / Eph 2:13-18 / Mk 6:30-34
“Brothers and sisters: in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Wow, look at that italicized sentence! I know it is unusual to quote the reading on this page, but that one long sentence seems to demand attention. Just try saying it in one breathe!
What is the main point? It’s not the abolishing of the law with its commandments. Jesus said He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it. So what is abolished? The legal claims of the exclusive nature of the Jewish people. We are, by faith, now all children of Abraham — Paul describes that in his letter to the Romans.
Paul is reminding the Ephesians that Jesus removed the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. The laws of inheritance by blood were removed by the Blood of the cross.
Last week, we also heard from Ephesians of the inheritance we received: being God’s own possession. Yes, our inheritance (usually something we own after receiving it) is to be the possession of God. We have been made one in Christ by the set plan of God through the cross.
Being possessed by God makes us one through the cross. Today there are many who are “far off” from Holy Mother Church — who want nothing to do with her, or us. Yet Jesus’ Blood has made us one. He “preached peace” even as He admitted He would set families against one another.
With the compassion of God, may we always pray for the unity Jesus prayed for in John’s Gospel, that we may be one, even as He and the Father are one.
