Today’s first Mass reading is a passage in the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians that is a favorite of mine. It is Paul’s prayer for the people of Ephesus. There are two parts of the reading that I sometimes take to prayer.
The first is image of God’s love contained in Paul’s wish that the people “rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with the fullness of God.” I read those words and am filled with the sense of God’s love pervading everything.
The second part is the words of praise contained in the final paragraph of the passage: “Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imaging, by the power at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.” That is the portion of the reading I try to keep in mind, especially when I’m facing something that seems insurmountable.
It is a reminder that we all need – the reminder that we do nothing on our own. When we think we have to do it all on our own, our limits can easily frighten us. But if we can remember that we have more than our own strength and abilities at our disposal, then we can also remember that with the power of God at work within us we can accomplish far more than we could ask or imagine.
Creo en Dios! 