Devotion
What does it mean to be wise?
David Jacobs
If I asked you who the wisest person in the Bible was, who would you say? Maybe Jesus, maybe Moses, but the name Solomon is almost synonymous with wisdom, referenced several times in the books of the Bible (especially 1 Kings 3 and 4). His wisdom was so great that God rewarded him as He rewarded no other man on earth: He chose Solomon as the person to build His temple in Jerusalem. King David is one of the most lauded characters in the Old Testament, and he was ready to build the temple for God. God chose his son, Solomon, known for his wisdom, rather than David, a conquering war hero, known perhaps too much for bloodshed and sin. David accepts this nobly, for he knows that Solomon is...the wise choice (1 Chronicles 28-29).
There are 2 things to notice about these verses: first, it is God's favor to wisdom. With sound counsel, understanding, and wisdom, there is strength.
The second thing to notice is what God abhors: evil, pride, and arrogance. These are the things that God hates. These are the evil way, the path to darkness. God does not hate many things, but these are the things He makes clear to use the word hate in reference to. If we are to fully understand and follow the word of the Lord, we must remember these verses: to closely follow God's path, we must love wisdom and hate pride and arrogance. To do so grants us more wisdom and strength. With these things, we can build our own inner temple, just as Solomon did, and join God, Solomon, and Christ, in the temple of heaven.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, lead me away from all sin, and towards a path of wisdom, understanding, and strength. I ask that you pardon my sins when I have been arrogant and prideful; I shall do all in my power to be better and clasp to the things that you deem righteous. 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...
