Devotion
Two Apostles
Frances Taylor
This weekend we celebrated the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, two men who were called by Christ to go out and bring the Good News to the world. Two very different men, called in different ways.
Peter was once a disciple of John the Baptist who was directed by John to follow Jesus. Paul was against this man Jesus who was, in his mind, turning people away from God. Yet we have benefitted from the preaching and teaching of them both. Peter is the "Rock" upon whom Jesus built his church and Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, the non-Jews, who might never have heard about Jesus as their Savior. They each had different stories of conversion – Paul's considerably more dramatic! They had different styles, different communities of believers, but they had one purpose – to preach Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead.
Jesus, the Messiah and Lord sent to save the world from death due to sin and to open the gates of heaven to all who would believe. Just before his ascension, Jesus tells his followers to go out into the world making disciples of all nations. Peter and Paul, as well as the other apostles and his other disciples did just that.
We, too, have been called by virtue of our baptism to go out and make disciples. We have different stories of conversion – and some of us may not even know we have a story because we have always believed. Some of us may have a dramatic story of realizing that Jesus is Lord in our lives. The question is, "How do we let people know the Good News?"
Are our lives a witness to our beliefs? Are we embarrassed to admit we are believers? Would any of us be identified and then cast into prison because our faith is so apparent to others, as was the faith of Peter and Paul? My hope is that at the end of my life I can say with St. Paul, "I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith."
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift of these two apostles as without them the Good News of Salvation might never have spread so far. Amen.
Night Prayer
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Inspiration
Shepherds anoint their sheep with oil to kill mites and parasites, thus preventing diseases from spreading amongst the flock. The sheep do not understand why this procedure occurs, trusting his kind hands as he administers healing and protection. Jesus is the good shepherd who anoints our hearts with protection from the disease of sin. We do not need to understand His actions because we trust the loving hands that held the cross leading to calvary.
Prayer
Dear Lord, You are loving and kind. We trust Your actions as You protect us from evil parasites and the disease of sin. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
May You Abound in Love
Frances Taylor
Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians might as well be a prayer for all Christian communities. May our Christian communities increase and abound in love for each other and toward all people. Is your community increasing? Mine isn't. Maybe we don't seem to be abounding in love toward one another. Or maybe we don't look like we love others, either. Some of my friends have children who have moved to communities where they feel welcomed and are invited to participate with their children in church activities. These communities are growing. The key is love and welcome.
The early Christians were known by their love for one another. Perhaps it's because our communities have grown too large and we don't know everyone. Some churches are so large that not everyone knows their fellow parishioners. Then there are the television communities that claim a Christian following. It's very difficult to love the 30,000 or more that you're celebrating with! One ...
Morning Prayer
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Inspiration
We can only attain salvation through Jesus Christ and through nothing or no one else. No one else can save us because it is only Jesus Christ who paid the price for the salvation of our souls. We cannot find salvation in any earthly thing or person and we would be fools to try it. Only the name of Jesus, can bring us the freedom from captivity that we need.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, and the fact that it is because of Him, I have hope for my life. Thank you, Father, that I am justified and redeemed thanks to your Son. This is not a gift I take for granted, Lord. Instead, I cherish it with my whole heart and I will continue to do so for the rest of the days of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
