Devotion
Send Us!
David Jacobs
Reading this verse made me think back to my days in school. I was a decent student; not the best, not the worst. For anyone that has been to school, we can all probably remember moments when the teacher was asking for volunteers. If you remember this situation, I am sure you can also remember when nobody wanted to volunteer. Every student in the class heard what the teacher was saying but nobody wanted to step up and volunteer. Usually the teacher would then select someone, typically a good student who would be capable of completing the activity or a troublemaker that was talking at the time.
I think that basically every student in the class would be capable in those situations to complete the task at hand, but nobody wants to stand out or be wrong. In many ways, our relationship with our faith is similar.
If you are reading this, you have, at one time or another, heard God's calling. We respond to the call in different ways, sometimes not responding at all. Like the frightened school children, we do not want to stand out. We do not want to be wrong. As this passage in Isaiah says, if we respond, we cannot be wrong. Our sins have been purged. Knowing that our sins have been forgiven, knowing that we have heard the call, the only wrong response is silence. I am reminded of the famous quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
God, like a teacher to children, is calling for volunteers. We are looking around at each other, wondering who will be brave enough to heed His call. Be like Isaiah. Realize we cannot be wrong if we answer. When the Lord asks, stand up and volunteer. "Send me."
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I have heard your call my entire life. Forgive me, for I know that I have trembled and ignored your call due to fear. I humbly ask that you strengthen my resolve, O Lord, so that I may be more confident to share your word with others, and help others to volunteer. Lord I pray that I will not disappoint you any more. I will not keep silent. I shall loudly declare for all to hear of my love and trust in you. I pray all of this in your holy name. Amen
Devotion
Culpability
Frances Taylor
This is an interesting passage because, among other things, it talks about sin and who is considered guilty of sin. Paul is talking about how he has been forgiven, how God has been merciful to him because his actions were committed in unbelief. In order for sin to be committed, one needs to know he is committing it. No one can commit sin in retrospect. Sin is always a deliberate act. This can be hard for some to understand. Actions can be considered sinful, even though the person committing them may not be culpable. For example, lying is a sin. However, is the two year old hiding behind the curtains sinning when he or she claims not to have broken the vase? No, because the child has no understanding of the difference between truth and lie. Those who do not have a relationship with God, who do not know the commandments, who have never heard of Jesus, may commit sinful actions, but are not guilty of sin. This is what Paul claims is his situation. Paul ...
Morning Prayer
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
Inspiration
When the Lord sent his only Son, he sent also his word. For his body was this very word made flesh. Importantly this was not simply a manifestation of God's word, but also rather an 'animation' of it (meant here in the original Latin as 'animare' –'to instill with life or spirit'), an instance of God's love and divine grace in action, among us.
Prayer
Lord, I am grateful for your mercy in showing us your word made flesh so that we may be redeemed. Further, I am grateful to you for showing us your love and grace through your only begotten son. Let his body not have been torn and broken for no avail, but feed us now in the Eucharist. Let not his blood have...
