You who were far off (Ephesians 2:11-22)
Derek and his son, Dominic
When I can finally see into the eyes of the stranger, when I can see people from close at hand, rather than from afar, I can begin to see the contours of the face of God.
Because in the face of God I see one who prefers to tear down walls, rather than maintain them, in the God who calls to us from near at hand, rather than keeping us far off.
In the face of God I can see one who is not satisfied with the gap that separates us, the distance that keeps us suspicious of and hostile toward one another—but who seeks to reconcile us, to stand among us, to bring us near enough to see one another's faces.