Devotion
Cast all your care on the Lord
David Jacobs
I have been quite selfish at times in my relationships. With an inflated sense of ego, I have thought that I may deserve better than the other person at certain times. It led me to treat other people as if they should be happy that I give them any love or attention at all, hurting them in the process. That all changed when I met my wife, because at that time, I certainly knew that she was better than me. If I didn't know, she had no problem telling me.
Prayer
Think about your own relationships: do you care as much as the other person does? Now think about God: do you think you care even a fraction as much as He does? Although we would like to hope that we do, it is impossible to care as much as God has for us. He sent his only begotten son to die for our sins, and it is a debt that we can never hope to repay. He could have stopped there, but He has promised that He will never stop loving us. As these verses say, throw every care on the Lord as He has done to us. We owe Him that.
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...
