Devotion
We are like God; God is like usDevotion
We are like God; God is like us
David Jacobs
The weekend. Most of us cannot wait for the weekend to come. Most of us work hard, many of us work jobs that we do not really love, and when we get home it is often followed by even more work. If only we could be more like God, we would not have to work so hard. Read these verses again and you will see that line of thought is wrong. We work hard just like our creator, God, worked hard. Just like us, God was pretty happy when the weekend came.
God created men and women in His image. We, like God, have to work! It is not a curse, it is just a fact of life. Even before sin enters the picture, before Adam and Eve take bites out of the apple, God is working. If He is working, we must certainly be working! God has dominion over all things, in heaven and earth, and we, in his own image, have dominion over many of the things on earth. It may seem like a curse, having to work so hard and feeling tired, but think of the alternatives: would you rather be an insect? A fish? A bird? Even a tiger? None of these beasts are made in God's image. We are. We are the chosen few that get to experience what it is like to be somewhat like God. Every single day that we can work, we should be thankful that we have another day on earth, another chance to better understand ourselves and in turn, our creator.
Prayer
Almighty God, I am humbled by your creation! I am honored to witness all of the things that you worked hard to create. Humble me too, O Lord, so that like you, I can look at what you have created and feel the goodness in it. Lord, I pray that I can be part of that light, part of that goodness, to work to bring more light and good to your creation. In your name, I humbly pray. Amen.
David Jacobs
The weekend. Most of us cannot wait for the weekend to come. Most of us work hard, many of us work jobs that we do not really love, and when we get home it is often followed by even more work. If only we could be more like God, we would not have to work so hard. Read these verses again and you will see that line of thought is wrong. We work hard just like our creator, God, worked hard. Just like us, God was pretty happy when the weekend came.
God created men and women in His image. We, like God, have to work! It is not a curse, it is just a fact of life. Even before sin enters the picture, before Adam and Eve take bites out of the apple, God is working. If He is working, we must certainly be working! God has dominion over all things, in heaven and earth, and we, in his own image, have dominion over many of the things on earth. It may seem like a curse, having to work so hard and feeling tired, but think of the alternatives: would you rather be an insect? A fish? A bird? Even a tiger? None of these beasts are made in God's image. We are. We are the chosen few that get to experience what it is like to be somewhat like God. Every single day that we can work, we should be thankful that we have another day on earth, another chance to better understand ourselves and in turn, our creator.
Prayer
Almighty God, I am humbled by your creation! I am honored to witness all of the things that you worked hard to create. Humble me too, O Lord, so that like you, I can look at what you have created and feel the goodness in it. Lord, I pray that I can be part of that light, part of that goodness, to work to bring more light and good to your creation. In your name, I humbly pray. 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...
