Devotion
Are We Any Different
Frances Taylor
In this passage, Stephen, one of the original deacons, is speaking to the Jewish people reminding them of all that God had done for them from the time of Abraham. How God gave Moses the law, how they continued to fall away and wouldn't listen to the prophets, ignoring their warnings and even killing them. He compared them to their ancestors for crucifying Jesus. So, my question is, are we any different? We, who have seen the saving power of Jesus, we who claim that he is our Savior and have been baptized into him, still sin, still fail to love our enemies, still harbor hate in our hearts. Are we different? We have even been known to kill the prophets who have come among us such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Human beings can be very stiff-necked. If we work together to live as Jesus wants us to, following his guidelines and learning to love better, we may regain the ability for others to recognize Christians by their love for one another.
Prayer
Lord, why do we keep repeating the sins of the past? Why do we fail in our ability to love? Help us to do better beginning in this Easter season to make our world a more loving place. 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...
