Devotion
From Death to New Life
Frances Taylor
How many of us have cried out with Martha and Mary, "Lord, if you had been there, my brother – sister, mother, father, child, friend – would not have died?" Today's reading lets us know that Jesus was and is there when a loved one dies, and is ready to call him or her out to new life. Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Just in case we still had doubts about the possibility of resurrection, Jesus clearly shows that all is possible. Lazarus, of course, no longer walks the earth, so he must have died again and been buried again, and this time, he awakened into eternal life, not his earthly one. And so, all of us who have been baptized into the death of Christ have been promised that we, too, would awaken into eternal life.
Mother Teresa once said that since she had died with Christ in baptism, she had nothing to fear. This gave her the courage to walk amid the streets of Calcutta helping the poor, the sick and the dying. What holds us back? What fears do we need to let die within us so that we might rise to new life? I have a fear of sounding like a fool when I don't recognize the voice of someone I should know on the phone. But if I let that fear control me, I wouldn't reach out to friends and family and my relationships would suffer. There are people who have such a fear of crowds that they don't leave their homes. People who have a fear of flying miss out on seeing the magnificent beauty of our world and getting to know other cultures and historical places. Others have a fear of rejection, of being misunderstood, of being judged. In his first letter, John tells us that perfect love wipes out fear. In these last weeks of Lent, may we let the perfect love of the Lord so fill our hearts that all fear is washed away.
Prayer
O Lord, there have been many times when I wondered where you were when I needed you most! Help me to remember that you are always there answering my prayers, especially when I feel furthest from your presence. Amen.
Night Prayer
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when we come to Him with earthly burdens. We understand we do not have the power to control or fix our problems alone, so we lay our egos down and align our lives with the will of God. We are proud to be His servants and accept His help throughout our struggles. His love is unconditional, and His wisdom parallels none other.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we humble ourselves before You, seeking Your wisdom and guidance all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your presence and unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
You are a Temple of The Holy Spirit
Frances Taylor
This is a hard saying in today's world. Sexual immorality is so rampant and public that few people believe it to be immoral! People no longer think of sexual behavior outside of marriage as wrong and, in fact, have no problem with going from one person to another quite publicly, broadcasting their behavior on social media and if you're famous enough, on twitter, on TV, in magazines, etc. What happened to "Thou shalt not commit adultery?" I guess I'm old fashioned. I'm not about to condemn anyone who truly loves another and is faithful to them regardless of marriage, but I don't understand and cannot condone random sexual encounters that are not based on love but lust, have no desire for permanency but are literally just to satisfy a sexual itch.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to be kept holy, how can we treat them as what – toys, prizes? I'm aware that women have often ...
Morning Prayer
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Inspiration
Think of a grudge that you held on for a long time. Did you feel better from holding this grudge? Now think about this deeper: what if God held a grudge against us? Wow, how blessed we are that he forgives our sins! He leads by example, forgiving those of us that do exactly what he asks us not to do. We all should all be more forgiving, like God is to us.
Prayer
You sent your only son to the world to die so that we may be forgiven, merciful God. Forgive me, once again, for being too selfish and proud to not forgive those that trespass against me. I wish that I can sin less and ask for forgiveness and guidance when I need it. I thank you for sending your son to us, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
