Our Heart's Devotion + A Reflection on the United States of America's Independence Day
7/2/21 Our Heart's Devotion O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 9 BCP 230) "Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart..." The Collect for this coming Sunday reminds us that our full heart's devotion should rest in God. However, that is much much easier said than done. My heart can be fickle. Devoted to following God's will one moment and then solely focused on what I want the next. My heart can get caught up desiring attention and other's love at times, when I am called to devote myself to God's path instead. My heart fills up with envy or jealousy or hurt when it wanders away from being devoted to ...