Children of God

   “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3: 1)

   God did not create us to be His subjects.  We were not to be ruled purely by instinct as were the other animals, birds and fishes.  He created us to be family; one of His children.

   I remember as a child when I was doing something that I wasn’t supposed to do I would make sure I did it somewhere that my parents would not see.  I knew I shouldn’t be doing it but did it anyway as children will do.  But I also knew that I would be in trouble if my parents saw me or found out.  So I did my best to do in secret.

   It wasn’t too hard to avoid my parents and their watchful eye, there was plenty of other things to keep them distracted.  With God as my Father there is nothing that can be hidden; nowhere that He does not see.  If I choose to do evil He knows and knew even before it was done.  Nothing is secret, nothing is hidden.

   When I consider this fact it serves as a caution for me.  When tempted I try first to remember that the Lord knows I’m being tempted and wants to help me resist.  My first wish is to go to Him in prayer for the strength and courage to resist.  Yet there are times when the temptation is unexpected and comes as a surprise; other times when I may act before thinking.  These are the times when I have let my heavenly Father down.

   As a child I would gladly accept a spanking or grounding rather than a lecture about how I had disappointed my parents.  I am humiliated and humbled so much more when I have let my Father in heaven down.  It tears at my heart and reminds me that without Him and His forgiveness there is no hope for me.

Father, I am so ashamed when I disappoint You.

When my actions are not those of a loving son.

Yet You forgive and are merciful.

In this is my hope and my salvation.

Amen

Rough Sailing

   “In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses.  Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.” (St. Boniface)

   Anyone who has sailed through a storm at sea knows it can be a frightening and dangerous experience.  The safety of the ship and those aboard depends on the dedication and abilities of the crew to see her through the rough waters.

   The Church has often sailed through storms, some very dangerous and difficult.  We see things occurring in society and even within the Church that are not as they should be.  At times it seems the ship will not weather the storm; that the Church may not be able to rise above the stresses thrown at her.

   In times of trial and scandal what can we, as Christians, do?  We can stay the course.  We can keep the faith.  Most of all we can pray that God will continue to protect and preserve the Church He founded.  If we ever begin to doubt His fidelity to His followers we contribute to the harm done by those who stand against Christ, Christianity and anything that involves God.

   There always have been and will continue to be those who would destroy Christianity, the Church and all associated with God.  As Christians our duty is to fight the good fight, weather the storm and right the ship when she is in dangerous waters.

Lord, watch over Your Church and all Christians.

Strengthen our faith and trust in You.

Give us confidence in Your love and protection.

Be with the ones who sail this ship we call Church.

Amen

“and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”  (Matt 28: 20)

Where is the Shame?

   We live in a society that has somehow convinced itself that shame is a bad thing.  We are told that self-reproach lessens self-esteem and harms the psyche.  We may do evil but we must recognize that we are, after all, only human and our faults do not define us.  It's not really our fault so we needn't feel guilt.  I think we are fooling ourselves and destroying society with this kind of thinking.  If we have no shame for heinous acts, no guilt for the evil committed, we will allow virtually any evil to exist.

   In fact our acts do define us in many ways and, yes, we are responsible for our personal decisions.  We are both blessed and cursed with free will.  When we choose evil we have only ourselves to blame.  There are many sources of temptation to evil, but we make the final decision.

   A mother decides to kill the baby in her womb because it’s not convenient to have a child.  Children are abused and even killed by their parents.  Are not these reasons for shame and guilt?  We are rightfully outraged when we see an animal that has been abused and hold the abuser responsible.  Yet abortion, the greatest child abuse of all, is commonplace and we are told that is a “woman’s health issue" and a right.  What of the health of the female infant that will be killed and tossed aside as so much trash; what of her rights?  How can we tolerate such evil and feel no shame for allowing it to continue?

   If society is to survive, shame and self-reproach for the evil we do is necessary.  If we are to be a part of God’s family there is a need for guilt for our sinful acts.  Only by recognizing evil and feeling shame and guilt for it can we begin to overcome it.  As long as we have no shame for evil acts they will continue and will become even more evil.  Only by accepting responsibility for our wrongs can we begin to change.  Only through the love, forgiveness and strength of God can we overcome evil.

Lord, we need to know shame for the evil we commit.

We need to acknowledge our guilt.

We need to turn to You for forgiveness and strength

We need Your Holy Spirit within us.

Amen

Sinfulness

   “I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”  (Romans 7: 15)

   I take some small comfort in Paul’s statement above.  I am not and will never be strong enough to resist Satan every time he comes with his temptations and lies.  None of us are that strong.  The apostle to the gentiles, one of the greatest Christians who ever lived seems to have suffered the same weakness.  He also did those things he hated; he too didn’t understand his own actions at times.

   I strive to avoid sin; I pray for the strength to resist Satan.  Still, a word, an action can cause me to sin, sometimes seriously.  The door I try to keep closed opens a bit and Satan gladly enters.

   Sometimes the least slight or feeling of hurt causes the greatest outrage in my response.  There is no logic to it and afterwards I look at myself and wonder what could have caused me to react in such a manner.  Of course the answer is Satan and his demon warriors.  They glory not only in the fact that I have sinned but in the guilt I feel for having hurt another by my sin.  However, in truth the fault is mine even though it is the evil one who prods me to sin.  I am weak, needing God’s help and I sometimes fail to seek it.

   I will sin, that’s simply a fact.  Try as I may I will fail at times and Satan will win a battle.  The important thing is to keep up the fight, trying harder each time to resist.  God is with me and He will strengthen me, but I sometimes fail to turn to Him.  I will sin again and again I will regret it.  Again I will go to God in sorrow and repentance.  Again He will forgive and love me.  And then again, I will sin.

Lord I sin; I do the wrong that I don’t want to do.

I fail to turn to you and seek Your strength.

By my own fault I fall prey to the evil one.

Help me Father, give me the strength to resist.

Amen

“For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not wish is what I do.”  (Romans 15: 19)

The Love of God

   “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

   How can God love the evil and the wicked among us?  How can He ask us to do the same?  It is because God is all love.  He harbors no hate, no dislike toward anyone.  He abhors sin but is generous to the sinner.  He seeks only good for all and gives all the opportunity to partake of His mercy and love.

   God does not love us because we are good.  If we are good it is because He loves us.  By accepting His love we can become better than we were before; we can become good.  Those who choose evil do so by rejecting His love.

   God will never turn away one who seeks Him in honesty and repentance; He forgives all who sincerely ask and welcomes them into His family.  He gives the sinner many opportunities to come to Him.  We sometimes wonder why evil people are granted wealth, prosperity and long life.  I think God allows them success to encourage them to see that everything that benefits them is a gift from Him.  In His generosity He gives them the opportunity to recognize His love and turn to Him.

   We can never know God’s reason for what He does.  All we can do is trust and be confident that all He does is done out of love.  Love for each of His children, even those who have gone astray.  Love that offers a second, third and many more chances for change.  Love that never waivers.

Father You love all.

You bless both the good and the bad.

You reach out in love calling Your children home.

Help everyone respond to Your loving call.

Amen

Live For Christ

   We are concerned about many things.  We have little control over most and none over many.  We get wrapped up in politics though there is not much we can do about the political situation.  We can vote but even those who promise to do the right thing many times seem to forget once in office.  We worry about the weather, something over which we have no control at all.

   How much simpler and peaceful our lives can be if we are concerned only with Jesus.  The things we worry about are most likely going to proceed regardless of any action we take.  Sure, we can have some control over our very person but even that is tenuous at times.  We can’t predict what our health will be next week or next year.  There is no certainty of life or how long that life may be.

   By making Christ the focus of our life we can put aside the day-to-day things that consume our time and steal our peace.  We must care for those things we can affect but also understand that we can truly affect very little.  The world is not our home and we can never make it the home we inwardly seek; a world of peace, love and happiness.  Only through God and His plan for us are those things attainable.

   Take care of those things that need caring for but let go of those that aren’t necessary or within our ability to change.  Make knowing Jesus and following Him the priority and the petty concerns of the world lose importance.  Set your sights on the end game; life with God throughout eternity and trust Him to handle the rest.

We worry about so many things.

They steal our time and our happiness.

Help us to leave the worries of this world behind.

Let our priority be knowing and loving You.

Amen

“For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mark 8: 36)

Die to the Past

   “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2: 20)

   Paul was the greatest of persecutors of the new Christian faith.  A Pharisee by training and education he was a staunch supporter of the law and saw Christians as heretics worthy of punishment, imprisonment and death.

   Paul was also one of the greatest of Christ’s disciples, spreading the good news far and wide.  Once converted on the road to Damascus he died to himself and began to live for Jesus.  He received lashings, beatings, and was stoned.  He was shipwrecked three times in his travels to preach the good news.  He gladly suffered all for Christ.  He died to his past.

   As Christians we too are to die to our past and live for Christ.  Paul had committed great sins in his treatment of the early Christians.  We all have things in our past that we are ashamed of.  We cannot allow ourselves to dwell on those sins.  We must give thanks to God for His mercy and forgiveness.  Then we have to move on to a new life in Christ just as Paul did.

Let go of the past and live for the future.  Let Christ be the life within us and let us serve Him in all we do.  We must give ourselves to Him as He gave Himself for us.

Lord, I thank You for Your Love and Mercy.

Help me die to my past and live for You.

You gave Yourself for me.

Let me live for you.

Amen

Simplicity in Faith

   “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”  (Mark 10: 15)

   The faith of a child is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus wasn’t referring to childish faith but child-like faith.  Another word to describe this kind of faith is simple faith.  Again, not simple in the sense of easy, but simple in the sense of untainted; pure faith.

   Children have this type of faith.  They tend to accept things at face value and not question them.  As they grow older they learn that some people lie to them.  They are even misled by their own parents at times.  Eventually, they lose the purity of faith they once had.

   We are all in that state of life.  We’ve lost the pure, simple faith that we had as children.  A society which misleads and lies to us has taken it from us.  Yet Jesus tells us this is the faith we must have if we are to enter His kingdom.  Somehow we must regain that purity of faith.

   Though our faith and trust may have been betrayed many times we must believe that God will never betray us.  He will never lie to us or mislead us.  His way, though we may not always understand it, is the way to eternal life.  Faith in earthly things and a fallen humanity may lead to betrayal and hurt.  Total faith in God can lead only to our eternal joy in His presence.

   Our faith must reflect our confidence in this truth; we can’t waiver in our trust of the Lord.  We must accept Him with purity of faith; the faith of a child.

Lord give us simplicity of faith.

Teach us that You will never betray.

Let us inherit Your kingdom through our faith.

The pure faith of a child.

Amen

Seeing God

   “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.” (1 Cor 13: 12)

   In our fallen state in this corrupt world it isn’t possible to see God clearly or to fully understand Him.  We see glimpses, some more obvious than others, but we don’t see the whole picture.  It isn’t for us to see at this time; only in the life to come.  Still there are so many ways to see God in our world.  After all, He created it, His presence is everywhere if we only look with an open heart and open mind.

   I see God in the sunrise and sunset, marking the turning of the day.  Each day a new opportunity to further my understanding and knowing of the Father.  I hear Him in the laughter of a child, each a unique creation of God.  We are unlike any other person who has ever existed.  He is everywhere.  He is within us and in all things.  If we seek Him we will find Him.

   Still, we can’t clearly see and know God in this world.  It’s fallen nature and our own sins blind us to His true glory.  Only when this world has passed away will we begin to truly see Him.  On that day we will see His glory and begin to know Him as He is.

Lord we are blinded by our own failings.

The world distorts our vision of You.

Help us to see and know you more fully.

In faith and yearning we await the coming of our Lord.

Amen

Roe vs Wade

   Forty-six years ago today the Supreme Court of the United States determined, in a 7-2 decision, that pre-born children weren’t deserving of the guarantees to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness promised by the constitution.  They legalized the murder of children in their mother’s womb.

   Since that dark day over 60,000,000 children have been slain in the womb; their tiny mutilated bodies thrown in the trash or sold for supposed medical research.  This happens in a country which calls itself one nation under God and imprints “In God We Trust” on its’ money.  Hypocrisy knows no shame.

   As Christians we have a responsibility to work to correct such heinous evils in our society.  When we vote for a pro-abortion candidate we are complicit in the committing of abortion.  When we say we don’t believe in abortion but have no right to force our beliefs on others we are complicit in the committing of abortion.  When we ignore the evil and take no action we are complicit in the committing of abortion.  We must take a stand and stop the murder of our innocent children.  We must abolish abortion.

   Pray for souls of the children murdered.  Ask God to touch the hearts of those who support this abomination and give them a change of heart.  Pray for those who have repented of the sinful action of abortion, that they may find forgiveness and healing.

Father, lovingly receive those killed through abortion.

Grant them peace and joy in Your kingdom.

Change the hearts of those who support this evil.

May we always protect the most innocent among us.

Amen

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matt 19: 14)

Trust In God

   “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Is 12: 2)

   Trust is difficult at times.  It is easily betrayed and the pain of betrayal can be severe.  Friends are not always trustworthy.  Even family members betray trust in one another.  Experience tells us that trust-worthiness is a virtue practiced by very few in our society.  As a result we withhold our trust as a means of protecting ourselves from the hurt caused when it is betrayed.

   Where can we turn for true, unfailing trust?  In the passage above Isaiah tells us that we can trust God.  That promise of trust is evident throughout the bible.  Scripture provides example after example of the blessings God showers down on those who trust in Him.  Jesus gave His life on the cross in expiation for the sins of those who would trust in Him and the Father.

   Trust in God is far different from trust in anything or anyone of this world.  When we place our trust in Him it will never be misplaced; we will never be betrayed.  But absolute trust in God is difficult in a world that has so little trust.  In order to trust in Him we must accept that His plan for us is the one that will lead to salvation.  We must have the trust that even sacrifice is sometimes necessary in life. 

   Look to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; even as He died He trusted in the Father, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”  (Luke 23: 46).  This is the trust we too must place in the Father.  It will never be betrayed.

Father, trust is so hard for us.

We have been betrayed so many times.

May we learn to trust in You.

The only source of true trust and faith.

Amen

Take Action

   “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 7: 21)

   Jesus spent His life doing the will of the Father.  He spoke of doing the Father’s will as food, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. (John 4: 34).  Throughout His life and ministry He acted on the words and the will of the Father.

   We must strive to emulate His example.  We needn’t be concerned with the opinions of the world or even the opinion of others about ourselves.  We should care only that we are following the will of God in our life.  The world can’t offer salvation, just slavery to sin.  Only Jesus offers the chance for eternal happiness.

   If we wish to follow Christ’s example in following our Lord we must “walk the walk”.  Far too many talk a good game but never take action; they would prefer to sit on the sidelines and let others do the heavy lifting.  Christianity is a participatory activity.  We can’t get to heaven by just talking about God; words alone won’t get us there.  Only by acting can we win the race and spend eternity in the divine presence.  Doing the will of the Father must become food for us as it was for Jesus.  It must be the sustenance that saves our eternal soul.

Father, help me to put words aside and act.

I offer You my will; make it Yours.

Guide me on the path You have chosen.

Lead me home to You.

Amen

Are You There?

   To me the sanctuary of the Church is a sacred place.  It is a place to go for silence, prayer and worship.  Yet, I see many who are apparently there for socializing.  People are in prayer before Mass begins and others in the next pew are chatting and laughing.  They ignore the fact that they are likely disturbing those in prayer.  Maybe they should consider praying and save socializing for after Mass.

   As do many Catholics, I go to Eucharistic Adoration to be with my Lord in prayer, looking for the quiet and silence so hard to find in our world.  Even there I hear others talking rather than silently praying and worshiping our Lord.  A phone rings and someone digs into their pocket or their purse to silence it; some even answer it and begin a conversation on the way out of the chapel.

   I wonder if they are really there?  Certainly they are physically in the sanctuary or the adoration chapel, but where is the heart, the mind and the soul?  Do they think that just being there is all that is necessary?  To be there is more than just being in a particular space, it requires more than physical presence.  Our Lord wants all of us, not just our physical presence.

   We are blessed to have the opportunity to go to Church or Adoration to worship and give glory to our Lord, but sometimes we seem to withhold so much.  We believe we have fulfilled our “obligation” yet all we did was show up.  The head nods during the homily, the eyes wander to see how Mr. and Mrs. So and So are dressed.  We complain because the choir didn’t sing our favorite hymn.  Oh, and by the way, the sermon was far too long.

   Many all over the world do not have the blessing of unrestricted access to the Lord’s house; they must hide in small groups to worship, always fearful that they may be found out.  But they are there; body, mind, soul and heart.  They are willing to risk arrest and persecution to worship our God.  They are there; are you?

Father, too many times we ignore Your presence.

Not only in our life, but even in Your house.

Help us to clear our thoughts of all but You.

Help us to truly be there with You.

Amen

In Solitude

   We are filled with so many earthly matters.  We concern ourselves with things that have little if any true significance.  Earthly matters push out the spiritual, taking us farther and farther from God.

   If we can learn to empty ourselves, if only for a short while, He will begin to fill us with Himself.  His Holy Spirit can come and overwhelm us, replacing the frivolous worries of our daily life.  But we must first make room for His indwelling.

   In solitude there is only God.  In silence He speaks to us.  If we are willing He will take away our earthly concerns and fill us with His love.  We may still have the same issues that affect our daily life but if we are filled with God they take on less importance as we focus on His will.  This doesn’t mean that we can simply forget our duties to ourselves and others in this world it simply helps us put things in perspective.

   The wants and desires of this world and our society often come from Satan in his efforts to draw us away from God.  Once we rid ourselves of our supposed need for those things we begin to weaken the evil one’s influence in our life.  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit there is no room for Satan.  He will continue to pursue us but with God’s help we can reject him more easily.  We will still lose our battles with the devil from time to time, but we can take comfort in knowing that our Lord is there to forgive our failings and strengthen us.

   The noise of the world makes it hard to hear the Lord.  In solitude we silence the world so that we can hear His voice.

Lord we are filled with the worries of this world.

Earthly concerns overwhelm us.

Help us find the silence of solitude and seek You.

Fill us with Your Holy Spirit.

Amen

Send Me

   “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”  (Is 6: 8)

   The Lord calls all of us.  He has a plan for us.  He calls us to that plan.  Whether we respond or not is up to us.  He will not force us or coerce us into doing His will; the choice is ours.

   He called Abraham to leave his home and brethren and go to a far land.  Abraham went and was blessed by the Lord for His willingness to follow.  Moses was called to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  He led them through the Red Sea on dry land and took them to the promised land.  Paul was called on the road to Damascus.  The great persecutor of the followers of Jesus became one of His greatest disciples, spreading the word far and wide.

   He calls us today.  Very few are called to the greatness of St. Paul, Moses or Abraham, but we are called.  Perhaps to help in some way at Mass.  Maybe to visit those in the hospital; to care for the elderly and infirm.  St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Not all of us can do great things.  But we can do small things with great love.”

   God may never call us to greatness, but He calls us to be His face, His voice, His hands and feet.  He calls us to care for His children and to make us great in His kingdom.

Father, I want to answer your call.

Great or small, I want to do Your will.

Give me your call.

Give me the faith and strength to answer “Yes Lord”.

Amen

   “Then I said, ‘Here am I!  Send me.”  (Isaiah 6: 8)

Give Him Praise

   “In the land of exile I praise him, and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation.”  (Tobit 13: 6)

   We are exiles in a sinful world.  A world that often seems to reject God and His plan.  Yet we are also only transients in this world.  We are on a journey to our home with our Lord.  We can take strength from the fact that Jesus has overcome the world.

   Though we are in exile we are still blessed by God.  We see the beauty of His creation, we know His mercy and love.  Our life must reflect these blessings in all we do.  By giving Him all praise and glory even in a sinful world we have the chance to change things one person at a time.  By seeing Jesus in others and reaching out to them in love, we are evangelists spreading the good news.  If we touch just one sinner causing them to turn to God in repentance the angels in heaven rejoice.

   The world is full of sin and death and will remain so until it passes away.  We take hope and have faith in the knowledge that Jesus has overcome sin and death.  He has opened the door for us to join Him in paradise.  By the way we live our life we have the opportunity to help others find that door.  We can be the light of God shining in a darkened world by giving Him praise and glory in all we do.

Lord, You have overcome the world.

You have conquered it.

In Your mercy the door to heaven was opened.

May we always seek that door and help others find it.

Amen

“So now consider what he has done for you, and praise him with full voice.”  (Tobit 13: 6)

From Where We Came

   Each of us have a history.  For some it is filled with praise for God and faithfulness.  For others it is one of sin and degradation; a rejection of God and His ways.  Sadly, my history is one of those filled with sin.  How I wish I had found God earlier in life.  I regret the years spent apart from Him.

   Though I may have been away from Him, God was never away from me.  I didn’t recognize it and refused to accept it for far too long but that doesn’t change the fact that He was there all the time.  He was calling me, whispering to me, urging me to come to Him; it was me who refused His love for me.

   I am blessed that it doesn’t matter to God from where I came, only where I am going.  His concern isn’t for the past but for the present and future.  I regret the mistakes and sins of my early life; I wish they could be relived and changed.  I am so very grateful to Him for continuing to call me and love me.  I thank Him for His patience while I refused to accept Him.  I give Him all praise and glory for changing my life.

   The past is gone, this moment is all I have.  I give it and every moment of the rest of my life to God.  Where I came from still troubles me at times but where I am going gives me great joy.

Lord, you chose the tax collector as Your apostle.

You forgave and accepted the sinner.

You turned no one who sought You away.

In Your mercy You have accepted me as well.

Amen

Distractions

   In prayer I become distracted, Satan tugging at my mind to draw me from God.  When reading the word of God or other spiritual books my mind wanders, the evil one trying his best to pull me from the spirit.  I pray the Holy Rosary and sometimes forget which mystery I am contemplating.  Even at Mass my mind wanders from the worship of my Lord.

   In the quiet times when I sit with my Lord and simply be with Him Satan comes to remind me of sins committed many years ago; sins long forgiven by our merciful Lord.  In most everything I do I find myself succumbing to his lures, drawing me from those things that are of God.

   Yet, in some ways I am grateful for the distractions.  They remind me of how vulnerable I am to Satan’s temptations.  They reinforce humility within me. In my weakness I cannot push him away; I need the help of the Lord.

   I try to look at these distractions as a means of increasing my faith and determination to reject Satan.  As soon as I am aware that I’ve been distracted I give the distractions to Jesus and ask His help in rebuking the devil and the lies he tells me.

   Is it possible that God allows me to be distracted to teach me that I can do nothing without Him?  Are these intrusions meant to give me the opportunity to rise above them, returning to the prayers, study and contemplation of God strengthened by the experience?  I’m not sure but I am sure that Jesus is pleased each time I turn to Him for help in shutting out the evil one.  I will take the distractions and look at them as a challenge to increase my faith life and rely more completely on the strength of my Lord.

Lord, so many times my minds drifts away.

Away from You and toward earthly concerns.

I beg of You to help me reject Satan’s distractions.

In my weakness be my strength.

Amen

The Baptism of our Lord

   “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  (Mark 1: 9 – 11)

   Baptism is to wash away our sins, both original sin and any personal sins committed up to that point.  Since Jesus was without sin I’ve wondered why He was baptized.  Even John questioned it saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?  (Matt 3: 14)”

   I believe Jesus’ baptism was the example we are to follow; we need our sins to be washed away in those blessed waters.  Similarly, I think the appearance of the Holy Spirit as a dove and the voice of God declaring that Jesus is His son was not for the benefit of our Lord but for our benefit.

   The apostle John tells us that we are indeed children of God.  “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.” (1 John 3: 1).  Through baptism we become the adopted children of God; brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ in spirit.

   Jesus was and is the Son of God for all eternity.  We are the ones who are welcomed as His children, pleasing Him with our baptism.  Jesus gave the example and God clarified it.  We are to follow it.

Jesus, I thank You for Your example of baptism.

You purified the waters to wash me clean of sin.

Help me to live the promises of my baptism.

To seek Your will in all I do.

Amen

Christian Fellowship

   “After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come.” (Luke 10: 1)

   Jesus sent His disciples out two by two.  In many cases they were most likely rejected in their mission.  Having another to share the disappointment provided strength to continue.  When success came they were able to share in the joy.

   Christian fellowship is an important part of a faith-filled life.  Just as in Jesus’ day our faith comes under attack from those who serve the evil one.  The support of other Christians helps us to maintain our faith even when we are rejected, ridiculed and even persecuted.  We have a family of God’s children to help see us through the hard times.

   I’ve heard people say they don’t need church.  They say they can worship God anywhere and organized religion isn’t needed.  Certainly God can be given praise and worship at any time in any place.  However the community of God, made up by His children worshiping together is the example given in scripture and in Jesus’ life.  We are weak; we need the support of others in our faith life.

   The love and support of the family of God coming together to worship is a tremendous blessing.  Solitude is a wonderful thing, but we all need Christian fellowship.

   “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  (Matt 18: 20)

Lord I thank you for Christian fellowship.

It is a source of strength in times of trouble.

It is a source of joy in times of happiness.

It is a precious blessing from You.

Amen