Devotion
My Protector
Frances Taylor
The psalmist is wondering who will take care of him as he travels through the mountains. He is telling us that God will watch over him keeping him safe during the day or during the night. Another one of my favorite psalms, it has given me comfort when confronting new and potentially dangerous situations. I have a terrible fear of driving on the edge of a road, especially one with no guard rails that are narrow and or treacherous. I have done a lot of praying when I was travelling in Haiti and in Africa as well as in Hawaii. I have learned to believe that God will take care of me and if it's my time, it's my time. Until then, I need to trust the people he puts in my path. It's amazing how freeing that is. It enables us to go places and do things that otherwise we wouldn't do. How can we be witnesses for God if we live in fear of what might happen? It all comes down to whether we truly believe what we say we believe. Do we trust that God has a plan for us? If so, then we have to believe that he will take us where he want us to be with people he wants us to interact with. In Haiti, with limited French and less Creole, I worked mostly with the children. In Africa, I was privileged to spend time with women and witnessed the changes they were bringing to their communities. God does not want us to live in fear, but to trust in his goodness and care of us.
Prayer
Father, I trust in you and your love of me. You have brought me to people and places that have enriched my life and given me opportunities to witness you in places beyond my dreams. Thank you, Lord. 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...
