One in Christ, One in Compassion
A short reflection on Galatians 3:23–29 and Luke 8:26–39
In a graveyard on the far side of the lake, Jesus restores a man the world had abandoned. In a letter written to churches full of arguments, Paul declares that in Christ, all are equal, all are one. These two moments – one deeply personal, the other sweeping and theological – are stitched together by the same thread: the radical undoing of division.
The Gerasene man’s story is more than a healing; it’s a reclaiming. Once chained, unclothed, and feared, he’s now clothed, calm, and called to speak. His restoration is not private; it’s public testimony. Likewise, Paul reminds us that when we are “in Christ,” old categories dissolve. There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female. In a world addicted to labels, Paul proclaims a new identity, one woven not from race or role, but from relationship with Jesus.
These passages invite us to ask: Who have we excluded? Whose story have we refused to hear? And are we willing, like Jesus, to cross boundaries and restore dignity – one person, one act of compassion, at a time?
Being “clothed in Christ” means embodying compassion that restores dignity to those society has cast aside.
The good news spreads when we listen to the stories of those once silenced and treat them as sacred.
Ngā mihi
Philip
22 June 2025
p.s. Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here: https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-pentecost-2-22-june-2025