(Please read the passage cited above first.)
In this reading, St Paul speaks of the oneness, the unity, of all in Christ. There is only one life in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one body, one Spirit, only one hope, only one Lord, only one faith, only one baptism, only one God and Father. This God is the Father of all who is over all, and in all.
St Pail was in prison because of his commitment to Christ. What was the life of a prisoner like? As I understand it, prisoners were chained to their cells, they lived in rat-infested places, they depended on families and friends to provide them food and water. They had no lighting in their cells and no opportunity to get exercise. They had much suffering, much anxiety, much loneliness.
St Paul was a prisoner and had much to suffer. How could the Ephesians celebrate as though everything were well? Paul was suffering and his friends felt free enough to fight among themselves and disturb the Church through their pride?
Paul in his sufferings, was writing that the Ephesians ought to lead a life worthy of the calling they had received, the call to be Christian. He was encouraging them to be humble, gentle and patient towards one another. The way the Ephesians lived, however, did not defend Paul who was a prisoner because of his commitment to Christ.
There are not more than one life, not more than one spirit, not more than one body. Instead there is only one life, only one Spirit, only one body. There is not more than one hope, not more than one Lord, not more than one faith, not more than one baptism. There is not more than one God, not more than one Father, not more than one Son, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit are not three gods, but only one God forever. There is no other place where we might be able to lord it over others. All the Ephesians and all of us ought to be united together in the unity of God.
Among us, in our life, in our communities, in our nation, there are many differences, many things that divide us and separate us, but we have to tear up the root causes of these divisions that destroy the things that unite us with St Paul, with Christ and with the Father. This unity is very important, the most important thing we need. The apostle Paul was a prisoner for this unity.