Sunday, January 11, 2015

Scripture Readings - First Sunday after Danaha 2015


Evening : St.Mark1:14-34 , Morning : St.John1:18-28

Before Holy Qurbana : Genesis25:19-34,30:36-31:2 , IIKings5:1-14 ,Isaiah49:7-13

Holy Qurbana : Acts2:37-47 , Ephesians1:3-14 , St.Matthew4:12-22

1. Hymn after Gospel

There are no two such beautiful sisters like Holy Baptism and the true Church . The two has seen unseen vital secrets . One give delivery, the other makes to grow. Baptism create spiritual children from water. Church brings then near to God.

2. Excerpt from  Archibishop Lazar Puhalo 's thoughts in his book ' Not by Bread Alone'
(St. Matthew 4:1-12 )

"So let us , as we come to the River Jordan today, make of our hearts the Sea of Galilee, that the love which flows into us from God and the grace which flow into us from the Holy Spirit , will flow out of us again to embrace others and to water the earth with this life-bearing spring so that we can be light in the midst of darkness, so that we can bear life in the midst of death, so that the love and grace of God not die within us and we become like the Dead Sea. Let our hearts be opened and our souls rejoice in one another, even as we rejoice in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen !"

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The Church calendar immediately points after  the Theophany of Christ the path of the martyrdom followed by St. John the Baptist and St. Stephen  while the Scripture reading points to Apostles and the early days after resurrection of Christ . It shows how the Lord adds to the Church at all times and the confidence and the guarantee of Baptism and sealed with the Holy Spirit to those who come to it.

In these times when the Church is faced with troubles from within , from even those who call themselves Christians and outside , May the Lord have mercy on us and Let us not stay away or prevent others from coming and being blessed by the Holy Spirit within the Church and grow to be a light to the world , Amen