Purify our souls, our bodies, our spirits, our hearts, our eyes, our understanding, our thoughts, and our consciences,

so that, with a pure heart, an enlightened soul, an unashamed face, a faith unfeigned, a perfect love, and a firm hope, we may dare with boldness, without fear, to pray to You ..

The Lamb of God
John 1

26John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
32And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

In our journey of faith, may we learn from the humility and obedience of St. Mary. Let us echo her fiath, surrendering our lives to God's will and trusting in His faithfulness. As we yield to Him, may we experience the transformative power of His grace and be vessels through which His love and salvation are revealed to the world.

Face fear with Faith! - 1st Sunday of Kiahk

Preparation through

Faith, Submission, Humility & Praise

Let's surrender to the Word of God, accepting it faithfully, not just logically. And let's not delay in applying it, lest we miss out on the incredible rewards that await us. 
Let's ask for help and learn from and follow the steps of our forefathers, walking in the footsteps of our faithful ancestors.

If Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why can't I feel His presence, power, and blessings in my life? 
What's missing? 
According to the Sunday church readings during the blessed month of Baba, the reasons might include:
•⁠ ⁠Lack of faith
•⁠ ⁠Lack of understanding
•⁠ ⁠Unhealthy thoughts and emotions
•⁠ ⁠Being too busy

Let's reflect on these potential obstacles and seek a deeper connection with our Lord!

Luke 5:
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

"As the Bible teaches us in Psalm 1:1-3, 'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither; and whatever he does prospers.' 
By receiving God's word with humility, respect, understanding, and faith, and by meditating on it day and night, it will purify our minds and hearts, and we will be transformed into the image of Christ."

Mark 2
5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?

9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic,

11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”