SUNDAY SERVICES:

Scriptures for today.
Psalm 37.1-18 · Exodus 20.1-21 · Colossians 1.24-2.7 · Psalm 37.19-42 · Matthew 4.1-11

Prayer for today.

Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Question for today.

How might the promise that “all shall be well” or that “all things work together for good” correspond with the reality that the Son of God was murdered by evil men in accordance with the plan of God? What part of your story have you seen resolved into good? What elements of your story do you still await the coming of Resurrection’s disclosure?

Julian of Norwich was a late 14th century English Christian mystic. Her ministry to others included spiritual direction and she compiled her meditations and “showings” from God in the book now known as Revelations of Divine Love. The excerpt below has Julian ask why God would have promised that all things shall be well and then have allowed sin to enter this world. You may read Julian’s book here. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/julian/revelations.html

“After this the Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had to Him afore. And I saw that nothing letted me but sin. And so I looked, generally, upon us all, and methought: If sin had not been, we should all have been clean and like to our Lord, as He made us.And thus, in my folly, afore this time often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not letted: for then, methought, all should have been well. This stirring [of mind] was much to be forsaken, but nevertheless mourning and sorrow I made therefor, without reason and discretion. But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all that is needful to me, answered by this word and said: It behoved that there should be sin;but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well….”

“How could all be well, for the great harm that is come by sin to the creature?” But in this I stood beholding things general, troublously and mourning, saying thus to our Lord in my meaning, with full great dread: Ah! good Lord, how might all be well, for the great hurt that is come, by sin, to the creature? And here I desired, as far as I durst, to have some more open declaring wherewith I might be eased in this matter. And to this our blessed Lord answered full meekly and with full lovely cheer, and shewed that Adam’s sin was the most harm that ever was done, or ever shall be, to the world’s end; and also He shewed that this [sin] is openly known in all Holy Church on earth. Furthermore He taught that I should behold the glorious Satisfaction80 : for this Amends-making is more pleasing to God and more worshipful, without comparison, than ever was the sin of Adam harmful. Then signifieth our blessed Lord thus in this teaching, that we should take heed to this: For since I have made well the most harm, then it is my will that thou know thereby that I shall make well all that is less.” Revelations of Divine Love Chapter 27 and 29