Devotion
The Beatitudes
Frances Taylor
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is one of the most quoted sections of the New Testament. In some translations, blessed is translated as happy. If you read them that way, would they take on a different meaning? After all we all want to be happy! Happy are the poor in spirit. We want to get to the kingdom of God but do we really want to be poor in spirit, or be persecuted? I know it doesn't say "poor." But to be poor in spirit might mean being generous in spirit. We might have to think of others before ourselves, making sacrifices, helping the poor. None of us wants to mourn, but the fact is that unless we die before all the people we love, we will mourn. Jesus is telling us that even though we will grieve, that isn't the end, and if we turn to God and allow him to walk with us, we will find comfort. The world doesn't hold the meek in high esteem, but turning the other cheek takes strength. Acknowledging our weaknesses as well as our strength takes strength. Since Jesus calls us to work for justice, it is part of following Christ that should encourage our hunger for what is right. Those who are merciful, who are able to be compassionate and forgive are the ones that will be forgiven more easily when they fail. And who doesn't want peace? The problem is we need to work for justice if we want peace. We need to refrain from seeing violence as an answer to problems. If we pay attention to the beatitudes, and live them, we will be happy.
Prayer
Lord, you gave us the commandments to help us learn how to live, and you had your Son, Jesus, give us the rules for happiness. Help us to live them. 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...
