Morning Prayer
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Inspiration
Though the Law of Moses only prescribed stoning for actually committing adultery, nonetheless, in regard to the Law's relation to eternal and ultimate matters, more was implied in the command to avoid adultery than just to not do the very act. Jesus points out that one is not innocent and pure before God who has lusted adulterously though not done the actual act of adultery. Sin is still in that man's heart.
Prayer
Keep us, O Lord, from making your Law a quick and easy checklist that we can easily check off and be smugly satisfied with our own performance of it. Teach us that unless we keep your Law from the heart and abide by the spirit as well as the letter of your commands, we have not truly kept them. Help us to keep your Law truly from a motive of love for 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...
