Devotion
Living According to the Will of God
Frances Taylor
I may have mentioned it before, and will probably do so again, but I don't worry about the end of the World! There's no promise that this will happen before my time on earth is up. So what does this passage say to me?
For me it means that I need to live each day doing the will of God as best I can because I don't know when I will die. There was a famous Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, who wrote a prayer that I have always loved because it gives me hope. In it he writes that he tries to do God's will even though he's not always sure what that is, but he believes, as I do, that the desire to do God's will pleases God. We can't always be sure that we're on the right path given the choices we must make each day, but we can ask God's guidance each day to help us not stray far from his plan.
We do get a hint of how to keep to God's will from this passage – don't give in to sins of the flesh! Our society keeps telling us that if it feels good, we should do it! Then we are surprised at the increase in the presence of depression, feelings of guilt and a lack of self-respect. God made us, he knows what makes us happy, and following his commandments, trying to do his will, is the way to happiness in this world as well as in the next.
Prayer
Lord, show me the path you have chosen for me that I may do your will and be happy in this world and celebrate with you in the world to come. 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...
