Devotion
Crying Out For God’s Help And Mercy
Frances Taylor
This begs the question – Do I cry out for God's help and mercy? It's hard to ask for help when we live in such a do-it-yourself world. We seem to have bought into the idea that we can do it all and do it without help. Just look at all the books on the subject! But there are situations when we have to admit that we need help. The older I get, the more I realize this. The more I recognize the need for God and others. The more I recognize the need for forgiveness as sins of the past come more to the forefront of memory. We all cry out to God when people we love are ill or in trouble when we lose a family member or friend, but do we ask for healing of resentments, of past hurts? Do we reach out to God even in the day-to-day needs we experience? Are we aware of the times in our lives that God has been merciful towards us? God is not doing this because we are faithful to him, but because HE is faithful to us. God's mercy is not earned, it is a free gift. When we cry out for God's help, we sometimes are directed to someone within the community for the help we need. How often we don't even recognize that God has answered our prayer! I know that my morning prayer often begins with a thank you for another day and a plea for help to get through it! God cares about us so much more than we can ever imagine. It's not only okay to ask for help, it's what God wants us to do, and who wants to disappoint God?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for your faithfulness to us. How often we forget and take your gifts for granted. Give us the grace to reach out to you for mercy, for help in our need, and for forgiveness for all the times we have not been faithful to you. 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...
