“Paul’s understanding of the gospel is entirely participatory: believers are not simply forgiven sinners, they are participants in God’s new creation (2Cor.5:17; Gal.6:15). In that new creation believers do not simply preach the gospel, they become the gospel. Indeed, Paul himself does not say that Christ was revealed ‘to him’— Christ was revealed ‘in him’ such that he can say ‘it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.’ It’s the great exchange, right? ‘For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ Atonement isn’t simply what God does for us or to us. At-one-ment is the very nature of God into which we are incorporated as believers. At-one-ment is the character of God’s community— it is a way of being in the world, of bearing witness to what God has done, is doing, and will do in and for creation.”
—Dave Nienhuis
“At the conclusion of Morning Prayer in The Book of Common Prayer, we offer these words: ‘Give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service.’ As the community of the baptized, we are invited to awaken every day, in every moment, to the infinite Mercy that sustains and heals us. Over time, that awareness leads us to a posture of receptivity and a willingness to await the Lord’s direction in our daily living. We do this together, participating in the life that is communion at its deepest level—communion with the Risen Christ who has breathed peace upon us and calls us into daily witness to his grace and love. This practice of habitual recollection, of daily recalling those mercies, leads to deepening gratefulness. We become more readily available for the nudgings and promptings that the living Christ offers, asking that we bear witness to Him in the world. Together we will reflect on growing in daily awareness, and discovering practices that help us attend to the divine Presence in our midst.”
—Mary Earle