Devotion October 7, 2021

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Devotion October 5, 2021

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Sunday Reflection (October 3, 2021)

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When we welcome children, we welcome God. When we welcome
the powerless and vulnerable, we welcome God. When I say welcome,
I do not mean a condescending welcoming, but a true offering of friendship
as equals because before God, we are all powerless and vulnerable. Jesus
did not tolerate contempt toward the powerless and vulnerable.
Nevertheless, with God, we are strengthened to lift up one another, and bring
about the healing and restoration of relationships through the Holy Spirit that dwells
within us and among us. We bring about the Kingdom of God when we welcome
and embrace the powerless and the vulnerable.

Prayer for the Week (October 3-October 9, 2021)

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Let us praise God for coming to us
    in Jesus Christ:
Father, in the beginning you spoke
    your creative Word
    and brought order out of chaos.
Again, you spoke your creative Word
    and it became enfleshed
    in Jesus of Nazareth.
The Holy Spirit renews us
    unto the image of Jesus Christ
    and leads us in the way of Christ.
Amen.
                                                             (Moira B. Laidlaw)

Devotion September 28, 2021

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Sunday Reflection (September 26, 2021)

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I firmly believe that God’s working through others to do good is much larger
than any one person, any one group, any one congregation, or any one
religion (Numbers 11:24-29; Mark 9:38-41). Yet all religions, including
Christianity must confront the violence and evil done in its name and
many things have been done in Christ’s name that do not reflect the
love and compassion of God revealed  in Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, I am
convinced that all the congregations of Christ’s Church do good things
 in Jesus’ name but doing good is not limited to Christ’s Church. We could
name scores of groups that do good for society and individuals.
Given that, why does Christ’s Church even exist? God has revealed to
Christ’s Church the message of the love and compassion of God revealed
in Jesus Christ. God has given us great opportunities to do good, and God
has even equipped us with the Holy Spirit in the doing of good that bears witness
to the love and compassion of God revealed in Jesus Christ. May we take
advantage of the opportunity because if we, Christ’s Church, do not fully do
 what we could do and should do, God finds another way.

Prayer for the Week (September 27-October 2, 2021)

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Let us pray that the Spirit of God be alive
    with us and among all people:
God, you grant us the power to do mighty works
    but not the right to deny that power to others.
We come before you confidently for we have seen
    your likeness in Jesus Christ.
We do not pray that our sight be perfect
    and our understanding complete,
    but that you be a lamp unto our feet
    and a guide for our journey through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
                                                             (Litanies and Other Prayers)

Sunday Reflection (September 19, 2021)

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Desire and ambition are positive in the sense that they propel us to fulfill our potential,
but we can become so consumed with desire and ambition that we destroy trust,
community, and friendship to do better than others (James 3:13-4:8). We do this on
personal and social levels, and it creates a vicious environment for us and our world,
and especially for those vulnerable and beaten down.
The book of James warns us and presents an alternative to recalcitrance to be humble, fair, and just: James calls it “willing to yield.”
Willing to yield does not mean we have no convictions, or that we agree with everyone; rather, it means that we listen carefully
to someone else instead of attacking him/her. To be a disciple of Jesus is to abandon
the seeking of position, prestige, and wealth. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to serve
(Mark 9:35-36).

Prayer for the Week (September 19-September 25, 2021)

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Let us pray to God our Father who welcomes us  into his kingdom through Jesus Christ:
God our Father, you tenderly stoop down to us,  fallible and limited people,
     and your preference goes to children, to the weak, and to the humble.
May we accept your Good News with the receptive attitude of children.
Help us understand the mystery of your greatness and love,  so that the kingdom of heaven be ours.
Amen.

(Claretian Publications)

Daily Devotion September 14, 2021

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