by Bishop Thomas Gumbleton
Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace
At the end of the passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians that we heard this morning, Paul says, “This is the good news.” He’s excited. Remember, he’s in prison, but he’s still rejoicing, and he’s just thrilled because he can proclaim the good news. What was that good news? It was what Paul had been writing to them about this mystery that was not made known to past generations, but only now, through revelations, given to holy apostles and prophets.
Here is the revelation. Now the non-Jewish people, the ones we called the Gentiles, all the nations — Paul says the non-Jewish people share the inheritance in Christ Jesus. The non-Jews are incorporated and are to enjoy the promise. This, he says, is the good news, and it’s the good news that we have failed to fully accept, I think. What Paul is saying is that Jesus came not for the chosen people, not for a few who become his disciples, but Jesus came for all.
God entered into human history at this moment in time. God became one of us in Jesus, and as we say in the eucharistic prayer where we say, “This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.” God came into our human history, became one of us so that all people could share in the fullness of God’s life. Jesus himself had declared that toward the end of his life, when he was reflecting on what was to happen to him…