Thursday after Cantate
Posted on May 19, 2022 by under
Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17 (NKJV)
3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Devotion
Through faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead we are made over into new creatures; our lives of sanctification are a direct result of being grafted into Him by faith. Therefore, our lives must reflect this marvelous reality. Just as Christ dwells in our hearts by faith, so He should be demonstrated in our works. Compassion, kindness, humbleness, meekness, patience, and forgiveness–these are all characteristics that describe the way in which Jesus has dealt with us, and so we should show these same traits to one another. No Christian is perfect as long as he lives here in this world. We must regularly put to death our old Adam, drowning him in the waters of our Baptism, and by faith put on the new man, “who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:10).
To deal with our brothers and sisters according to Christian virtue, we should always remember it is by God’s grace and compassion that our own sins are covered. As God has loved us, so we should love one another. We all need the mutual help and support of our fellow Christians to continue in holiness of living. And so, St. Paul teaches us, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).
Prayer: O God, Who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will: Grant unto Thy people that they may love what Thou commandest, and desire what Thou dost promise; that, among the manifold changes of this world, our hearts may there be fixed where true joys are to be found; 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.
