My name is Brennan. I’ve attended Calvary for the last 12 years with my wife Melanie and my children Jude, Willis, and Evie. Melanie and I have served on the Leadership Team for the last 4 years. I work as an Assistant Head Nurse at Grey Nuns Emergency. In my spare time, I enjoy working on house projects, barbequing, and making a good cup of coffee. Here are my reflections on the passage of the week, Ephesians 2:1-10.

Paul reminds us in the passage of our own history that we once were dead and now we are alive. This is not a result of anything that we have done. Instead, it is by God’s mercy that we are saved. It is a reminder that none of us were born saved, nor were capable of saving ourselves. We required someone greater than ourselves to step in and give us hope.

This passage makes me think about the power of gift and our misunderstanding of gifts. If I receive an extravagant gift, I am grateful for a short moment for that gift. However, after that brief moment, I internalize that gift, it becomes a part of me. I cease to recognize it’s enduring nature as a gift. The end of this path is pride. I become proud of having this object and think that it reflects well on me to possess it. I fail to recognize my passive role as the receiver. It is the giver of gifts who should receive praise, not the receiver. And yet I give myself credit for the good things in my life.

But Paul does not allow us to remain passive. I was struck as I read this passage in a Bible that I have owned for 20 years. What was highlighted was vs. 10.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

This passage calls me to recognize my passive past and invites me into an active future.

Jesus, thank you for the role of your gift in my life. Forgive me for showing pride in what was always a gift and that I only accepted passively. Remind me today of how your gift is available to all. My acceptance of this gift does not say anything about me, but only speaks of your goodness. Help me recognize how the purpose of your gift is to release me to “do the good things that you planned for me long ago.”

I’m grateful for the time to have to reflect on this passage. I couldn’t help but read it through the lens of our mission statement at Calvary as it has been on my mind these last couple of weeks. 

“At Calvary, we want more of Jesus”.

This passage is a reminder to me that I daily need more of Jesus in my life, and to recognize the role that he has already had.

Did you try out Lectio Divina this week with Ephesians 2:1-10? Share your reflections here! If you still would like to follow with our community and contemplate weekly passages of scripture with us, check out the guide to Lectio Divina and this week’s podcast or subscribe to weekly podcast releases on Apple music.