A Letter to the Whole Church

The appointed New Testament Epistle for the Church’s daily prayer is taken from Paul’s Letter to the Church in Ephesus; he writes:

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  (Eph. 1:15-23).

Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians is about the worldwide Church, whose head is Christ, and whose purpose is to be the instrument for making God’s plan of salvation known throughout the universe. Paul’s view of the church is anchored in God’s saving love, shown in Jesus Christ, and the whole of redemption is rooted in the plan and accomplishment of the triune God. Paul’s language is of doxology and prayer, of liturgy and hymns.  It describes what we as Church are called to be.  In today’s passage we see that prayer moves from God and Christ to the Church. Paul asks that the blessing imparted by God the Father to the Church who will be strengthened through the message of the Gospel. Those blessings are seen in the context of God’s might in establishing the sovereignty of Christ over all other creatures and in appointing Christ head of the church where everything is made subject to him.  As we move through our daily lives, let us contemplate the role of the Church, our role, as expressed by Paul in his Letter to the Church in Ephesus.

Let us pray:  Gracious Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

17 January 2013: Seaside Seniors at St. Augustine.

 

21 January 2013: MLK Day at St. Vincent’s House: Noon day prayers and celebration.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Robert Hacker’s mother and family, Lee Runion and Randy Furlong, and all those celebrating birthdays today, especially Adam who is turning 25.

Your servant in Christ,

The Rev. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550