Friday after Laetare Sunday
Posted on March 15, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. John 6:60-65 (NKJV)
6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
Devotion
Some teachings in the Scriptures are difficult for us to understand. The Scriptures themselves are clear, but our own intellect is clouded by personal opinion. The best remedy for this is good preaching and frequent study in God’s Word. Thus St. Paul writes: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
We should also recognize that some things taught in the Scriptures are loftier than our human reason can understand. For example, human reason cannot comprehend how simple water in Holy Baptism saves us, or how Jesus’ Body and Blood are truly present in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. Concerning these ‘hard sayings’ we should subordinate our human reason to the clear Word of God. Since the Scriptures clearly say, “This is My Body…This is My Blood” (Matt. 26:26-28) and Baptism “now saves us” (1 Pet. 3:21), we should not try to twist the meaning to something which our human reason can comprehend. Rather, we should firmly believe the words of Christ and trust that with God all things are possible. Jesus’ words are spirit and they are life. They are profitable for us, not on account of our own understanding, but on account of the salvation offered in them.
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of Thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
