Without the wonder of stepping outside the norm, discoveries are not made. The world could have continued to believe in a flat Earth and never opened the western hemisphere. Scientists could have viewed mold as an ugly growth and never unlocked the miracle of penicillin. Mistakes in aim are not necessarily bad, when gaining an increase in knowledge is the target. As knowledge is gained, the wise adjust, improve, and refine the aim.

When we have certain knowledge, that is essentially opinion, big mistakes can and do occur. Here “trial and error” is not the problem, rather choices and intent become distractors. “Putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil.”

When in elementary school, Eliseo “Shayo” Hinojos lived with Tedna and me for a few years. He now serves the body of Christ as an ordained minister; a wonderful young boy grown into a great man. He once offered a telling statement about evil: “Satan is not a pitchfork carrying “red faced demon with horns.” Evil comes disguised as everything you have ever wanted. We would all likely turn away quickly, if evil presented itself as ugly and awful; we are lured in by the attractive cloak of sin.”

St. Paul was made a prisoner for arousing a Jewish hostility by including gentiles in the Church. From prison Paul continued his ministry to the Church by writing letters to individuals, and by writing general encyclicals which were copied and shared among the faithful. “The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians” is likely one of these circulating letters. The epistle contains no allusions to the locale of the Roman capital in Asia, nor does it contain any personal greetings. When the writings of Paul were collected, a copy of this encyclical was probably secured in Ephesus and the present title was affixed.

Within the letter are doctrinal, encouraging, and practical words from St. Paul. Paul writes of what Christians ought not to do, but like a good teacher, he balances the “don’ts” with “do’s”. From the fifth chapter of Ephesians, we received those beautiful words, “Therefore be imitators of G_d, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to G_d.” An amazing “do” and a caution, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”

As St. Paul suggested we must be wise, not foolish. We must be wise, to avoid overindulgence which can blind us to evil. We must be wise, growing in knowledge of G_d’s plan for us, to recognize and expose evil lurking under an attractive mantle. Filling life with G_d’s Spirit leaves little room for “don’ts” to find lodging in our dwelling, nor to even offer an attraction to sway our intentions and choices away from Him. If the only prayer you ever say is, “Thank You,” that will be enough. Gratefulness connects us up to the Divine flow of receptivity and generosity. When we begin each day in gratefulness, we step on to the path of love.

Pax,
jbt