Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the 1st Week of Epiphany: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 119:1 to 24; Evening, Psalms 12, 13 and 14;
Genesis 4:1 to 16; Hebrews 2:11 to 18; John 1: 35-42:
“Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” (Hebrews 2: 17 and 18)
This explanation from the letter to the Hebrews reinforces my belief that God gets to understand the human condition through His Incarnate self in the life and death of our Lord Jesus.
When God walks among us and suffers with us, God develops mercy for us. It is through, and because of, our Lord Jesus that we are redeemed of our sins and saved in eternal life.
Jesus says, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me,” (Hebrews 2:13). We are given to our Lord Jesus through our faith, that is, in believing in the Presence of Christ in our everyday lives. Our belief in our Lord Jesus makes us, through Holy Communion, be of the same flesh and blood, and therefore, brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus. “Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things,” (Hebrews 2:14).
Thanks to our Lord Jesus all we have to do is believe and participate on the Communal practice of our Church in order to belong to the family of God. Other faith traditions have different kinds of faith connections with God. For us, we have Christ crucified. This is why “he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”
Every day we should live our lives in thanksgiving for God being one of us in order to experience what we are going through and then extending mercy. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Today we remember Richard Meux Benson, Religious, (1915) and Charles Gore, Bishop of Worcester, Birmingham and Oxford, 1932 and Their information may be found at: Richard Meux Benson & Charles Gore
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: (BCP p. 397)
Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
onewhoponders 