This beautiful line of inclusion was addressed to the Gentile Christians, assuring them they were not excluded because they were not Jews. I love these verses from Ephesians as it speaks to the communal nature of the Church and of life that we have all experienced in some manner. For some, “family” has a very rich and deeply connective image that is founded at its core in love. For others, family brings back unpleasant and dark images of a period in life often devoid of the love we all desire. The beauty of being members of God’s household is that the Lord knows the disordered nature of lives affected by choices, many of which we never made but unfortunately must live in and through. In God’s house, St. Paul tells us that Christ himself holds it all together through a love that unconditionally welcomes us. In one small way, our family discovered the power of welcoming in our travels throughout the world as we moved to the next duty station in my Naval career. This sojourn taught us that the many moves across the states and in foreign countries never diminished the joy we felt being welcomed into our new home. We took comfort in the words from John’s gospel: “Remain in me, as I remain in you.” In God’s house, we are truly one family, living in the love of the Lord. I pray that Paul’s words today will transform everyone into realizing that we are all sojourners on this earth, journeying toward our eternal home. For our hearts are restless until they rest in you, Lord. Our home is with you.