Devotion
Christ Our King
Frances Taylor
This phrase is both a statement and a question. Is Christ my king, or your king, and what does it mean to say yes? Today's gospel is a very familiar one. How often we hear the story of the "good thief" and take comfort in it. But what about the other criminal? Both men seem to think that Jesus just might be the Christ, the Messiah, but they have very different attitudes about that. The first is thinking only of himself; and tells Jesus to save himself and them while the second is aware of his sinfulness and only asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. Each time I have reflected on this one of the last words of Jesus on the cross, it makes me think. Is just acknowledging Jesus as Messiah enough, or do we need to put that knowledge into action? I once heard it said that the one who knows Jesus best is Satan. So I would guess that just knowing isn't enough! If we truly accept Jesus as King, then our actions must follow. We bow to the will of God and not our own. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus; we call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and we beg forgiveness when we fail. Perhaps a renewed commitment to having our lives bear witness to our faith is in order. And then we, too, might hear at the hour of our death, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise."
Prayer
Dearest Lord, today we remember the sacrifice you made so that we might be saved. Help us to live each day with gratitude letting our actions as well as our words testify to the gift of salvation won for us because of your great love. 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...
