Devotion
The Healing Continues
Frances Taylor
Jesus continues his journey proclaiming the Good News of the coming of the Kingdom and his fame spread throughout the area. Word of the healings that had taken place encouraged people to bring their sick to him wherever he went. They just wanted to touch his clothing hoping to be cured. We often go to Jesus begging for healing as well.
The problem often is that the answer we get from God is not always the one we want. The one suffering from cancer dies. The illness is not cured and the person continues to suffer. Jesus didn't cure everyone either as we learn from further reading of the Gospels. Today there are people who are known as healers and God continues to heal in order to give witness to his power, But, again, not everyone who goes to Fatima, Lourdes, or Medugorje seeking healing are healed. And healing does not mean that those who are healed have more faith than those who are not.
I have a friend whose first 2 children were born with birth defects. She was angry with God to the point where she denied his existence. One day at work she fell and shattered her elbow. In spite of surgeries and physical therapy, she was unable to life her arm above her shoulder. Her mother heard of a well-known healer who was coming to the area and convinced my friend to go with her to the service. During the course of the service she felt heat in her arm. Doctors examining her later said that nothing short of a miracle was responsible for the total healing of her elbow.
We know that God's ways are not always our ways, but we still don't like it when God says no, or I have a better idea. Healing can be physical, spiritual or psychological. For many people, healing comes with a sense of peace that everything is in God's hands. This can be more of a comfort for us than any other form of healing.
Prayer
Lord, when we call upon you in faith you answer us. May we accept your answer to our prayers trusting that your ways are best. 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...
