Today we hear from the Letter to the Ephesians:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1: 1-14).
During this epiphany season, the Letter to the Ephesians picks up a theme we encountered in yesterday’s readings. We have come face to face with the judge John the Baptizer spoke of, Jesus, who humbled himself to receive baptism so that righteousness could be fulfilled. In the face of Jesus we see who God is, and today’s Epistles reiterates what we heard yesterday: Jesus the judge comes to us in love, and God the Father “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.” Jesus came to offer us reconciliation and redemption. God is not the stern judge waiting to catch us in every misstep. No, God lavishes grace on us!
Let us pray: Loving Father, we thank you today for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to be like us and with us in every way. We thank you for pouring the gift of Your Holy Spirit upon us filling us with grace upon grace until our hearts and souls are overflowing with Your bountiful love. Help us to share Your love with the world, with everyone we meet in our daily lives. Amen.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED US IN OUR PRACTICE YESTERDAY FOR THE PRESIDING BISHOP’S VISIT TO ST. AUGUSTINE.
Thank you to the newest members of the Bishop’s Committee, Alicia Gaskin and Angela Lemons, for committing to three years of service for the community. A large thank you goes to our outgoing Bishop’s Committee members, Bill Taylor, Lee Runion and Tammie Taylor.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
This Sunday we will be doubly blessed with the presence of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, and our own Diocesan Bishop, Andy Doyle. Please remember to park in the school parking lot if you are able to make the one block journey to the Church. Also, please get there early as we will have a number of visitors.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1: 1-14).
During this epiphany season, the Letter to the Ephesians picks up a theme we encountered in yesterday’s readings. We have come face to face with the judge John the Baptizer spoke of, Jesus, who humbled himself to receive baptism so that righteousness could be fulfilled. In the face of Jesus we see who God is, and today’s Epistles reiterates what we heard yesterday: Jesus the judge comes to us in love, and God the Father “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.” Jesus came to offer us reconciliation and redemption. God is not the stern judge waiting to catch us in every misstep. No, God lavishes grace on us!
Let us pray: Loving Father, we thank you today for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to be like us and with us in every way. We thank you for pouring the gift of Your Holy Spirit upon us filling us with grace upon grace until our hearts and souls are overflowing with Your bountiful love. Help us to share Your love with the world, with everyone we meet in our daily lives. Amen.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED US IN OUR PRACTICE YESTERDAY FOR THE PRESIDING BISHOP’S VISIT TO ST. AUGUSTINE.
Thank you to the newest members of the Bishop’s Committee, Alicia Gaskin and Angela Lemons, for committing to three years of service for the community. A large thank you goes to our outgoing Bishop’s Committee members, Bill Taylor, Lee Runion and Tammie Taylor.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
This Sunday we will be doubly blessed with the presence of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, and our own Diocesan Bishop, Andy Doyle. Please remember to park in the school parking lot if you are able to make the one block journey to the Church. Also, please get there early as we will have a number of visitors.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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