Commissioned by the Church of England for Advent 2025
O King of the nations and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: come and save the human race which you fashioned from clay.
Concentrating on "the cornerstone making both one" here is Paul in Ephesian's 2
11 So remember that once you were Gentiles by physical descent, who were called “uncircumcised” by Jews who are physically circumcised. 12 At that time you were without Christ. You were aliens rather than citizens of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of God’s promise. In this world you had no hope and no God. 13 But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. 15 He canceled the detailed rules of the Law so that he could create one new person out of the two groups, making peace. 16 He reconciled them both as one body to God by the cross, which ended the hostility to God.
17 When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. 18 We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit. 19 So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household. 20 As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord. 22 Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit.
Only Paul wasn't only talking about Ephesians and Israel. "Gentiles," the nations is everyone.
Needless to say, those in the United States who are yelling "Christianity" the loudest don't welcome this message because the last thing they want is unity, they don't want two to be one, they don't want to be one with anyone, even at the cost of the unity of them as well as all in God.
And about which, here is a rather strange Christmas story. I won't comment on it.
No comments:
Post a Comment