Our dead are never dead until we have forgotten them.
George Elliott
Ephesians 1:11–23 opens with a declaration of inheritance, which is not written in the language of property or privilege, but in the language of purpose. “In Christ we have obtained an inheritance so that we might live for the praise of God’s glory.” This isn’t about securing our place in heaven or claiming ownership over grace. This is about discovering that we already belong. We belong to one another and to God.
This passage invites us to imagine “inheritance” not as exclusion but as participation. God’s plan is "to gather up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.” The universe is being drawn together, not divided. God’s dream isn't a gated kingdom. It is a healed cosmos.
When Paul prays that the “eyes of your heart may be enlightened,” he reminds us that faith is not blind assent but, rather, a kind of seeing. Enlightened hearts see through systems of domination, nationalism, and fear. Enlightened hearts recognize the divine image in strangers, refugees, and those our culture often overlooks. Enlightened hearts see that God’s power, “immeasurable and great,” is not the power of conquest but the power of resurrection and of life rising again where death once ruled.
The power that raised Jesus from the dead and “seated him at God’s right hand” is the same power now animating the body of Christ here, as St. Teresa of Avila observed, in the church. Our church cannot be confined to steeples or denominations. In a world torn by greed and violence, the church becomes every community that lives resurrection in defiance of despair. It is every act of hospitality that interrupts exclusion, every movement that lifts the lowly, every table where love breaks bread with justice.
When Paul describes Christ as “the head over all things for the church,” it is not to crown a monarch but to describe the heartbeat of a living body and “the fullness of him who fills all in all.” The life of God is pulsing through creation, still filling and still uniting. We are always called to live as if heaven and earth are already being reconciled in love.
This call is not naïve optimism. It is the daring conviction that love is the deepest law of the universe in the tension of history and the understanding of resurrection as a power constantly at work. Hope is not waiting for heaven to come; it is joining God in making heaven visible here.
One of our group members helps recipients navigate the SNAP program.We prayed that her work would be less painful. We found out today that Tina Kotek, the Governor of Oregon, is directing $5 million in state funds to support the state’s food-bank network and has declared a 60-day food security emergency so that food assistance can be coordinated while federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are likely to be paused during the federal government shutdown
Many local restaurants are also helping out. For example, Nan’s Taqueria (Happy Valley) has committed to feeding people affected by the SNAP suspension “no questions asked.” It is gratifying to have community solidarity and local efforts in place to provide for needs when the federal safety net is interrupted.
This Sunday Creator celebrates All Saints' Day. In traditions around the world, from Samhain to Día de los Muertos, this is the time of year when the veil between the living and the dead is said to be at its thinnest. In ancient Celtic spirituality, it was believed that ancestors could walk among us during this liminal moment, offering guidance, warnings, blessings. In Christian practice, All Souls Day became a time to pray for those who have died. In many Indigenous cultures, this is a season of honoring the wisdom of the elders, the spirits of the land, and the continuity of life beyond death.
I remembered those Creator members who have passed recently Shirley Peterson, Scott Mattox and, most recently, Christa Hoven. who passed away on November 3rd, the day after her 88th birthday. I have a very vivid memory of her at a German-themed party after worship when we were celebrating Pastor Michelle's final
service at Creator. The party was planned by congregation members, and the food and
festivities were wonderful
Christa played accordion and piano. The congregation sang German
songs with her Tom with his Lederhosen and Bundhosen, and Katie in her Dirndl, danced in their traditional Tracht German costumes. People enjoyed the grilled bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad, root beer (of course!) , and a variety of available desserts. I also remember reading her book about her life in Germany during World War II with great curiosity and interest.
Perhaps this year, we feel that veil more tangibly than ever. May the eyes of everyone's hearts be opened to the inheritance we share. In the end this passage makes me want to hear God's call and see through the power of Christ, who fills all in all.
No comments:
Post a Comment