Devotion
Eternal Life
Frances Taylor
Today's reading speaks of the hope and consolation we have in Jesus' victory over death and the promise of eternal life. It's hard for us to imagine eternity. We live in time. We complain that we haven't enough time or that we have too much time on our hands! What would eternity look like? What is "being" without a body to be in? What we do know, is that we will be enveloped in the unconditional love of God. Most of us who are reading this know what it is to lose a loved one. For some it is a spouse, for some a child, for others parents or grandparents, or, perhaps a sibling. I know that there are times when I feel the presence of those who have gone before me. As in eternity time has no meaning, I wonder if we are already together for them. We know that those who have had near death experiences have described a place of warmth and love, of seeing loved ones, of not wanting to return to their earthly existence. Mother Teresa was asked if she was afraid that she might be putting herself in danger as she went about the streets of Calcutta picking up lepers and others who needed care. She answered that she had already died in baptism so what was there to fear. We, too, have died in baptism and have the promise that if we remain faithful and trust in the Lord, there is nothing for us to fear either. Jesus paid the price for each one of us and said that he does not intend to lose any that have been entrusted to him. Let us trust in the goodness of God and in the promise made to us by Jesus. Death has been conquered forever, and today is a day to rejoice.
Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for giving us the gift of salvation. You have opened the gates of heaven and allowed us to live without fear of death. Amen.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
