Devotion
Where is the mystery?
David Jacobs
The Lord works in mysterious ways. We have all probably heard this phrase before. I have always thought that it was nonsensical: how much evidence and scripture must there be for us to have a clear understanding of how the Lord works? There are some things that we do not have much understanding of, certainly. There are great mysteries that we have only begun to unravel. But there is a mountain of evidence and scholars that have spent their entire lives writing about the Lord's "ways." Mysterious is not the word that I would use, and it is also not the word that Paul would use in his letter to Timothy.
In fact, Paul states the exact opposite: there can be no controversy to how God works. Paul then lists exactly what the Lord claimed He would do and did! God lived amongst men as Christ, justified by the Holy Spirit, seen by angels at the time of his birth, preached during his lifetime to all that would hear him, believed by those that would hear him including by us, and then died and went to heaven. Where is the mystery? There can be no dispute that Christ's life was truly extraordinary. Praise his name and glory today and every day, for in him was the word and the truth resolved, made manifest in his flesh.
Prayer
Blessed are those that come in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest. May we forever sing your praises my God. There is no mystery surrounding your goodness. I thank you with every breath, every fiber of my being, every ounce of my love. I love you as you have loved me. 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...
