Saturday, September 5, 2009

Without Blemish


This is the last in a week-long series of brief devotionals to go along with the daily readings. Please come back next week to see how we're doing with going back to school.

“… He has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before Him…”

Colossians 1:22


Saul was a persecutor of Christians and upon his conversion was granted a new identity as Paul. Whatever sins might be in your past, if you have repented and are now living in Christ, He has wiped your slate clean. This does not mean that we are perfect. Even St. Paul continually groans about his inability to keep from sinning. We all commit venial sins from time to time. Christ’s blood continually washes away those sins, as long as we keep our faith in Him. If we stumble and commit mortal sin, we must confess so that we can be made clean again. If we do not waver from our belief, we can know that we will be presented without fault when our time comes.

Prayer: Father, thank you for sacrificing your Son that I might live.

Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da
The Conversion of Saint Paul
1600-1601
Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome

2 comments:

Daily Grace said...

I a world that acknowledges our Lord less and less,we have loss our concept of sin. Therefore, I pray daily for the grace to see my sin for what it is, and the strength and desire to overcome it.

Loren said...

I agree with the commenter Daily Grace, "sin" seems like a antique word, or a word reserved for horror films in our society. Really, it is the only word besides "forgiveness" that helps us move forward in spiritual growth.