ST. PAUL'S PRAYER FOR THE READERS

 

A PRAYER FOR MY READERS

 

In preparation for this reflection,    read   Ephesians  3:  14-21

 

A footnote in the NAB reads:   "The Apostle Paul prays that those he is addressing may, like the rest of the church, deepen their understanding of God's plan of salvation in Christ.  It is a plan that affects the whole universe with the breadth and length and height and depth of God's love in Christ or the universe in all its dimensions.   The Apostle prays that they may perceive the redemptive love of Christ for them and be completely immersed in the fullness of God.   The prayer concludes with a doxology to God."

 

Fr. S. Joseph Krempa, in his Daily Homilies,  Ordinary Time,  Year 2,  on p. 211,  offers a wonderful further reflection for us to pray with:

 

"This is a magnificent passage from the Letter to the Ephesians.   Paul is referring to our personal experience of Jesus Christ.  This is as critical for us as it was for Paul.  When we put it into words, we have the beginning of doctrine.  When we put it into symbol, we have the beginning of liturgy.  When we put it into action, we have the beginning of apostolate.  When we put it into structure, we have the beginnings of a Christian community.  When we put it into buildings, we have the beginnings of cathedrals.  

 

Jesus Christ and our experience of His love are the molten core -- the magma -- of the Church.

 

Remove our personal experience of the Lord and each of these things can become an idol.   Doctrine become ideology;   liturgy becomes ceremony;  apostolate becomes empire-building;  and a parish becomes an adminstrative unit.