Devotion
People Don’t Like To Have Their Faults Pointed Out
Frances Taylor
Jeremiah was trying to do God's work. He was charged with encouraging the people to return to God, to stop worshiping idols, to turn away from evil or they would be destroyed. So they decided to kill Jeremiah. God warned him about their plan. So appropriate that this comes as we are nearing the time when the chief priests and the Pharisees were plotting against Jesus. None of us likes to have someone point out our faults. Most of the time we don't act out of anger, but there are times when people have actually lost their jobs or their lives for being "whistle-blowers." Jeremiah did not stop prophesizing; he continued to work at bringing the people back to God. Have you ever been in a situation where you knew there was wrong-doing, and you had to make a choice whether or not to tell those responsible about it? Knowing that there can be repercussions for acting, would we have the courage to act? It is not easy to speak truth, and yet that is what God expects from us. When we believe we need to speak truth in any situation, the first thing to do is pray, and trust that God will provide the words as he did with Jeremiah.
Prayer
O Lord, it is not easy to be your messenger in our world today. When you need me to speak your truth, be with me and give me both the courage and the ability to do so. 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...
