Prepositions of God's Love: Speaking to the Soul, November 17, 2022

Colossians 1:11-20

“There is a theology in prepositions…”— Rev. Canon Graham Ward, How the Light Gets In: Ethical Life I

Remain strong, O faithful, O seekers
   with all the strength
   from Christ’s glorious power,
enduring
   with patience,
giving thanks
   to the Father
sharing the inheritance
   of the saints
   in the light.
God rescued us
   from the power
   of darkness
   into the kingdom
   of God’s beloved Son
   in whom
we have redemption, the forgiveness
   of sins.

Jesus is the image
   of the invisible God
firstborn
   of all Creation–
   in him

all things 
   in heaven
   on earth
were created
   through Jesus
and
   for Jesus.

Jesus himself is
   before all things;
all things hold together
   through Jesus.
Head
   of the body,
   of the Church;
Jesus, the beginning,
firstborn
   from the dead;

First
   in everything.

The fullness
   of God
is pleased
   to dwell
   in Jesus.
God is pleased
   to reconcile
   to Godself
all things
   in heaven
   on earth
   by making peace
   through the blood
      of Jesus’s cross.

This is how we remain faithful,
awaiting God-
   with-us,
Emmanuel
   by whom
   in whom
   through whom
we live and move and have our being,
revealing God’s love, longing, redemption,
seeking us–
world
and love
   without end.

This was first published at Episcopal Journal and Cafe's Speaking to the Soul, November 17, 2022.