Morning Prayer
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Inspiration
Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature. This bit of wisdom is rebuking the act of wondering why it was better before. The "back in the good ole days" mentality explaining why everything went wrong. Don't focus on the past saying it was better. You are living in the present. Enjoy it, and if you don't like what you see, seek to change things instead of complaining about it. Today is today, love God, obey Him, and love others.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to live in today, not in the past. Keep me in the present, loving You and serving You today. You are the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. You do not call me to live for You in the past that I cannot change, but You do call me to live for You today. Help me change the things that are bad about today instead of complaining about it. In Jesus' name. 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...
