Praise and glory to you, our loving God and Father in giving us so much hope today, inspiring us to be better, to be free to choose and follow you, to love and serve you in one another.
Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20-21
Let us live in your Son Jesus Christ, in the realm of grace than live in Adam in the realm of sin and death, enslaved to our passions and selfish desires. Let your Holy Spirit work within us, dear Jesus, to allow us to live in a way pleasing to God our Father. Like the psalmist, enable us to proclaim, "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will."
Open our eyes to the reality, O God, of the two kinds of humanity pervading: the sinful humanity and the redeemed humanity in Christ; how sad that so often, especially in the news we read and follow, it is always the humanity in solidarity with Adam in sin that seems to prevail. Let us claim your abounding grace, "girding our loins and lighting our lamps" to be focused more on our justification found in your righteousness in Christ. Amen.
