Daily Devotional for September 17

 

September 17                                                      John 11:45-57

               "...being high priest that year [Caiaphas]
        requested that Jesus should die for the nation, and
         not for the nation only, but to gather into one the
             children of God who are scattered abroad."

Through Christ's death on the cross, all of us, as children of
God, were forgiven, set free, and made whole. Once a peo-
ple separated from each other, we became a community united
by Christ's love. Once scattered, we were gathered together
in Christ.

Christ set before us a new way. No longer would God's people
offer burnt sacrifices to expiate sin; Christ's Resurrection and
death paid for all time the debt of our sin. No longer would
the people of God exchange "...eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound,
stripe for stripe... ." (Exodus 21 :24-25) Christ's example
showed that love is the only answer to hate. No longer would
God's salvation be available to only one nation; the "chosen
people" of God became all people.

Once we have received this good news of new life, we too
must declare a different way from the path the world offers.
We are then called to work for the equality of all and to
proclaim the good news of God's love for all people.

The transformative power of Christ's Resurrection and death
is available for us today. We can claim that transformation and
redemption for ourselves and put it to work in our lives.
Today, if we accept the gift given us through the death of God's
own Child, we can give of ourselves to others.

Take some time today to consider that Christ died "to gather
into one the children of God." Are you separated from a
brother or sister? If so, bring that separation to Christ, who
will open the way to reconciliation.

​

From The Road to Emmaus - An inclusive devotional Edited by Joseph W. Houle

Emmaus House of Prayer - Washington D.C.1989