Devotion
Living for the Sake of the Gospel
Frances Taylor
Peter had good reason to question Jesus as he had just told them that it was harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to pass through the narrow gate. Many people believed that riches were how God showed favor to a person and that poverty showed his displeasure. There may even be some people today who think the same way. But Peter had forgotten about Job. After all, he had lost everything and his friends kept after him to blame God who had certainly been the cause of all his misfortune and he must have done something to displease God. Just as Job was rewarded, Jesus tells Peter that he, too, would be rewarded for his sacrifice. He could expect persecution, but he would have eternal life. We can also be persecuted for following Jesus.
There are people and practices that are not compatible with living for Christ and the Gospel. A woman I know lost her job because the people she worked for were dishonest with their customers and expected her to cover it up. When she refused, she was fired. Most of us will not have to choose to give up our livelihood for the sake of the Gospel, but perhaps we will have to give up people whose lives are incompatible with our beliefs and who lead us into sin. Living for the sake of the Gospel is not always easy, but life on earth is transitory, eternal life with Jesus is eternal. We need to choose.
Prayer
Loving God, you have promised us eternal life and the graces we need to deal with worldly temptations and persecution alike. Thank you for your grace and keep us on the path to new life. 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...
