Strangers No Longer

Ephesians 2:12-22  

The Biblical text from the NRSV is always found in the first column.

The reflection by Fr. Dennis Chriszt, CPPS is always found in the second column.

Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The Ephesians, like most of us, were not part of the “commonwealth of Israel.” We were, in fact, strangers and aliens to the covenant God had made with Abraham and his descendants. The promise had not been made to our ancestors. Nevertheless, “we who were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

We, who were not related to the people of the covenant by blood (or DNA), are now related to one another and to God by blood – by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. We are now part of the family of God, blood relatives through water and the Holy Spirit and through the blood of Christ poured out for us all.

By this new covenant, no one is a stranger to the covenant of promise. All of us have hope with God is the world. This new covenant in the blood of Christ not only changes our relationship with God. It also changes our relationship with one another. No one is a stranger. All are brought near by what God has done for us. Everyone is near to our hearts because of the One who has made us near to God’s heart.