Devotion
Detach yourself
David Jacobs
I watched a great movie called Force Majeure the other night. It is a Swedish movie about a family that goes on a ski vacation. The trip is going well until they are eating lunch one day. The ski resort uses explosives to create small, controlled avalanches so that there are no big avalanches, and when they are eating one day, one of the avalanches comes a little too close to the restaurant and seems like it will crush them. In that moment of panic, the mother in the family grabs her children and the father...grabs his iPhone.
In this era of capitalism, consumption and materialism rule supreme. We are taught to constantly want in a manner that is unhealthy not only in preserving our resources on Earth, but also in matter of the soul! This passage says to "Love not the world". It is not a suggestion to not appreciate God's creation. It is a commandment to not get attached to the superficial and fleeting love of worldly delights. With the amount of options available in our times, we can see how society has changed. We can all witness this becoming a larger problem not just for society but also as individuals. As Jesus remarked, we may see that Love of the Lord is the only true route to salvation. Regardless of what a man owns or collects, what he truly owns are the things that he can sacrifice.
Prayer
Blessed Father, I have been weak more times than I could mention. I pray today that you will strengthen the bond between us and help me distance myself from earthly temptations. I ask that you will light my path so that I can see that it is your love, and only your love, that is worth clinging to. Free me from this vicious cycle of consumption, the allure of greed, the temptation of lust and gluttony, and help me manage my pride to give all of what I have, all of what I am, to you. I pray all of this in your 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...
