Today's passage from the Letter to the Ephesians seems to contain direct echoes of teaching that is now part of our Gospels. This confirms the clarity of the early Church's memory of Jesus' words.

That we must forgive each other as readily as God forgave us in Christ echoes the petition of the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us." The exhortation to follow Christ by loving as he loved us is surely an echo of Jesus' new commandment: "You must love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 15:12). In a world where there is so much hatred and violence and so many difficulties in following this new commandment, we are in greater need of God's grace to give us the strength we need. Perhaps the exhortation "Do not grieve." The Holy Spirit can help us to remember that the only sin that will not be forgiven is the sin against the Holy Spirit. Let us ensure that the light of the Holy Spirit is not extinguished in our hearts or in our world.