Members of the household of God

Today’s first Scripture reading (Eph 2: 19-22) tells us that we are no longer “strangers or sojourners”, but are “fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.”  Think of times  when you felt like a stranger—you knew nobody and were unable to connect with anybody.  It’s an awful feeling. We want to feel connected. We want to belong. And Paul tells us that, not only do we belong, but that we are members of “the holy ones and of the household of God.”  Ever envy children of another family—“oh, I wish I belonged to her/his family. They have everything. They are not poor. They are popular. They don't have the problems we have, etc.”  And here we are members of the most envious households of all: God’s household. There is not any household here on this earth that compares to it, no matter how loving, how well off, how endearing, how envious to others.  We are members of the household of God, by God’s choice. “I have chosen you!”