First Reading

Brothers and sisters:

You were at that time without Christ,

alienated from the community of Israel

and strangers to the covenants of promise,

without hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off

have become near by the Blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he made both one

and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his Flesh,

abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,

that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,

thus establishing peace,

and might reconcile both with God,

in one Body, through the cross,

putting that enmity to death by it.

He came and preached peace to you who were far off

and peace to those who were near,

for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners,

but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones

and members of the household of God,

built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.

Through him the whole structure is held together

and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;

in him you also are being built together

into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.