Devotion
Fasting for the Lord
Frances Taylor
Do these phrases look familiar? When Jesus talks about the last judgment, and he separates the sheep from the goats, as described in Matthew's gospel, he lists these examples of how we will be judged. Have we fed the hungry, clothed the naked, sheltered the homeless?
For God, offering sacrifice was meaningless unless our lives were in sync with our prayers. Fasting is one of the practices of Lent. But what kind of fasting are we willing to do? Are we willing to really put ourselves out there and look at what the Lord calls "fasting?" Isaiah gives us some good examples and he goes on to say we need to eliminate malicious speech as well.
Can you imagine going for 40 days without hearing gossip, cursing, foul language, put-downs, racial or ethnic slurs? No violence of any sort coming out of anyone's mouth? What a peaceful 40 days that would be! And if there's no violence of speech, perhaps there would be less violence in every area of life. How many fights begin because someone felt insulted? How many fights escalate because the friends of the one who felt insulted gang up on the friends of the one who did the insulting? If we concentrate on looking for people we can help and refrain from hurtful language, we will be fasting as the Lord desires, our prayers will be heard and lives will change for the better.
Prayer
Gracious God, you have given us the way to you. Why do we insist on doing things our way instead of your way? Help us to listen to you, so that when we pray, you will listen to us. 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...
