Devotion
Let All The People Praise You
Frances Taylor
We are now about half-way in the Easter season. Are we still giving praise to God with thankful hearts for sending his Son to save us? The psalmist is grateful for God's blessing in providing the people with a good harvest and prays that God's salvation is known throughout the world that they knew. We have so much more to be grateful for than the people of this time, and the gift of salvation is so much more than a good harvest. Jesus has come and has died for us – salvation is ours. He has assured us that there is life after death by allowing his followers to know of his resurrection and told them that they and we will rise as well. Just as the psalm says of the Father, Jesus will also judge the peoples with equity as they come before him at the time of their death. We tend to cheer for weeks – sometimes more – when our favorite sports team wins a major victory telling all the people we know how great it is. Why don't we talk about God's goodness to us in the same glowing terms? It's still the Easter season, let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Prayer
Lord, we are so wrapped up in the things of this world, that we forget you. May we express our gratitude openly to those around 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...
