Monday of Rogationtide
Posted on May 15, 2023 by under
Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NKJV)
2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Devotion
St. Paul exhorts St. Timothy to teach those under his care to pray for those outside of the Church, for all men and for those in secular authority over us. Praying for those outside of the Church does two things: it teaches us love for our neighbor, and it prompts love from our neighbor.
When we truly pray for all men and for our government apart from all internal malice—when we truly care for their well-being—it is hard for us to continue in hatred for our neighbor and those who are over us in secular government. No one can feel sinful hatred toward the person for whom he truly prays. This in turn prompts love from the person for whom we pray, for nothing draws a person closer to us more than seeing that they are loved by us.
St. Paul even gives the reason: this act of praying for those outside the Church is meant to bring them into the Church. Our Lord Jesus desires all men to be saved, to come to the knowledge of salvation. Just as our dear Lord offered up His life as a ransom for all men—men who hated Him—in order to draw them to Himself, we pray for those outside the faith so that we may draw them to the Christ, that they may see the love that He has for them.
Prayer: Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that we, who in our affliction put our trust in Thy mercy, may ever be defended by Thy protection against all adversity, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, 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.
