Thursday – 28th Week – Ordinary Time [II]
Ephesians 1:1-10  +  Luke 11:47-54
October 13, 2016

“In Christ we have redemption by His Blood….”

Today’s First Reading consists of the first ten verses of Saint Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians.  We will hear from this letter at weekday Mass for just over two weeks, so an introduction to the letter is in order.

St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians is known for its focus on the Church.  A passage from Ephesians is often proclaimed at a Catholic wedding.  In Ephesians, St. Paul describes how the Church is Christ’s Bride, and uses the spousal example of Christ’s love for His Bride as a means of explaining to the Ephesians what the grace they’ve received from God “looks like”.  This grace isn’t meant to flow just one way:  God means for the members of the Church to “exchange” it amongst each other, and through each other, back to God as well.

In today’s passage, St. Paul speaks directly about this love by which we share in the life of the Church.  “In love [the Father] destined us for adoption to Himself through Jesus Christ”.  This has happened for each of us through the Sacrament of Baptism.  “In Christ we have redemption by His Blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of His grace that He lavished upon us.”  This grace was won by Christ for us on Calvary, where Jesus laid down His life for His bride, the Church.