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O Father, grant us also that we may be your heavenly children. c  


Teach us to be mindful only of our souls and our heavenly
heritage, so that our earthly country and inheritance may not 
deceive, nor limit, nor hinder us. Neither make us mere children
of this world, so we may in reality call you our heavenly Father
and may truly be your heavenly children. Amen.



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Introduction

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ë
 
ëith these words God wants to attract us, so that we believe he is
truly our Father and we are truly his children, in order that we
may ask him boldly and with complete confidence, just as loving 
children ask their loving father. 





 
 
         


 
  
 



   

 
 

  
    
   
 
   



 
 



      
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!"#$%&# -


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One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went   
 
   


into the Pharisee¶s house and took his place at the table. #" And Î Corinthians vi. 3.
a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he
A Christian should be careful to give no offence to any
was eating at the Pharisee¶s house, brought an alabaster jar of
man so that the Name of God shall not be blasphemed. It is a
ointment. #& She stood behind him at his feet, weeping and
great thing to be a Christian²that is a new man created after
began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her
God, and a true image of God in whom God Himself is clearly
hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them
seen. Therefore, whatever a Christian does, be it good or evil
with the ointment, #' Now when the Pharisee who had invited
(under the name of a Christian), will be counted to the honor or
him saw it, he said to himself, ³If this man were a prophet, he
dishonor of the Name of God. Therefore, if you follow your
would have known what kind of woman this is who is touching
lusts and obey the old Adam within you, you do nothing but
him²that she is a sinner.´
give occasion to the blasphemer and cause the Name of God to
() Jesus stood up and spoke to him, ³Simon, I have
be blasphemed because of you.
something to say to you.´ ³Teacher,´ he replied, ³Speak.´ (* ³A
In this respect a Christian should take the greatest care,
certain creditor had two debtors; one owned five hundred
even if he cares for nothing else, to protect and honor the Name
denarii, and the other fifty. (+ ëhen they could not pay, he
of his dear God and Savior Jesus Christ.
canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will
love him more?´ (# Simon answered, ³I suppose the one for      


   ë.A. ÎÎ. 3Î .
whom he canceled the greater debt.´ And Jesus said to him, " #$%%    
³You have judged rightly.´ (( Then turning toward the woman, 
he said to Simon, ³Do you see this woman? I entered your Taken from the book:
house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she bathed my &
&
ë'
" by Martin Luther
feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. (, You gave me Page Î
no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing
my feet. ($ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has
anointed my feet with ointment. (" Therefore, I tell you, her sins,
which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown
great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.³
(& Then he said to her, ³Your sins are forgiven.´ (' But those
who were at the table with him began to say among themselves,
³ëho is this who even forgives sins?´ ,) And he said to the
woman, ³Your faith has saved you; go in peace.´
&* Soon afterwards he went on through cities and
villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the
kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, + as well as some
women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary,
called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
# and Joanna, the wife of Herod¶s steward Chuza, and Susanna,
and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.