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God's Faithfulness
 

"And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy."
Hosea 2:19

The Fall of Humans

Because humans are created in the image of God, they are given the gift of freedom. As Genesis recounts the story of the fall of the first humans, it becomes clear that sin entered the world through humans who turned away from God's love. As a result of personal and Original Sin, evil marked all humans in both a personal and a general way, but God remains steadfast, promising mercy and hope.

Today you live in a world in which both good and evil are clearly evident; temptations surround you and tempt you away from what is right and good. But God's mercy and forgiveness are much stronger and always available. His truth helps humans repent of their sins and become grounded in a life of grace.

The Mercy of God

The love God has for humans, in spite of their sinful condition, reaches its high point in the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This sacrificial act of redemption, faced willingly by God's only Son, overcame every power of evil. In Baptism, Christians are joined to the death and Resurrection of Christ so that original and personal sin is overcome and Christians are free to live in the life of Christ.

Reflect

• What is your image of God?
• How do you experience the presence of good and evil in your life?
• How do you experience God's mercy and love?

Prayer

Merciful and forgiving God, set me free from the bondage of evil. Amen.