 Paul too, in this Sunday's epistle, sees the church as a new creation in which those nations who were once far off from God are joined as one new person with the children of Israel. And as we will sing in this Sunday's Psalm, through the church, the Lord, our shepherd, still leads people to the green pastures of the kingdom, to the restful waters of baptism. He still anoints with the oil of confirmation and spreads out the Eucharistic table before all people.