Liturgical Calendar

Published liturgical programs

• 1 መስከረም 2020 · ግእዝያዊ ሓድሽ ዓመት

  Saint John the Baptist does not draw attention to himself. He points everyone toward Jesus and declares Him to be the Lamb of God. A true servant of God leads people to Christ rather than seeking personal honour. The readings also call Christians to examine how they live together as the Church. Saint Paul condemns division and selfish behaviour when believers gather for the Eucharist. Saint James teaches that Christians must not show favouritism between rich and poor, because the law of Christ is the law of love and mercy. The conversion of the Ethiopian official in Acts shows that the Gospel is offered to every person who sincerely seeks God. The Christian community must therefore be a place of welcome, repentance, equality, and peace. John’s message prepares us to receive Christ with a sincere heart. We honour the Lamb of God when we turn away from sin, preserve unity in the Church, treat every person with dignity, and follow Jesus faithfully.

• 23 ነሓሰ 2019 · ሰንበት ትዓቢ

  The Letter to the Hebrews encourages believers not to become spiritually lazy. They must imitate those who inherit God’s promises through faith and patience. Abraham waited for what God had promised. The fulfilment did not come immediately, but he persevered because he trusted the faithfulness of the One who had spoken. God’s promise and oath give Christians strong encouragement. Christian hope is described as: “A sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” An anchor holds a ship steady when it cannot see safety clearly. In the same way, hope keeps the believer attached to God during delay, uncertainty, and suffering. Saint James explains that genuine faith must produce action. Saying that we believe while refusing to help a hungry or poorly clothed person reveals an empty faith. Abraham’s faith became visible when he obeyed God. His actions did not replace faith; they revealed that his faith was living. As the body without the spirit is dead, faith without works is also dead. In Acts, Saint Stephen begins recounting the history of salvation with Abraham. God called Abraham to leave his land and journey toward a place that God would reveal. Although Abraham initially possessed no inheritance there, he continued trusting the divine promise. Stephen also recalls Joseph, who was rejected and sold by his brothers. God remained with Joseph, delivered him from suffering, and used him to preserve the lives of many people. Both Abraham and Joseph demonstrate that God remains faithful even when His plan develops through exile, waiting, rejection, or hardship. In the Gospel, Jesus heals a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years. The synagogue leader objects because the healing occurred on the Sabbath. Jesus exposes the contradiction: people care for their animals on the Sabbath, yet this suffering daughter of Abraham is criticised for receiving freedom. The Lord’s Day is honoured through mercy. Religious observance that ignores human suffering fails to understand the heart of God. Jesus then speaks about the narrow door. Belonging outwardly to a religious community is not enough. Each person must respond sincerely to God’s invitation through repentance, faith, obedience, justice, and mercy. People will come from east and west, north and south, and sit at table in God’s Kingdom. Those considered last may become first, while those who relied only upon external privilege may find themselves outside. Abraham’s faith calls Christians to leave spiritual comfort, trust God’s promises, remain anchored in hope, translate faith into works, and practise mercy. The narrow door is not entered through ancestry, reputation, or religious words, but through a living relationship with Christ that transforms conduct.

• 16 ነሓሰ 2019 · ይሁበነ ዝናመ

  Saint Paul teaches that knowledge by itself can produce pride, but love builds up the Christian community. A person may possess correct information and still wound another person through arrogance or careless behaviour. The question is not merely whether an action is technically permitted. Christians must also ask whether their actions strengthen or weaken another person’s faith. If exercising personal freedom causes a vulnerable brother or sister to fall, love calls us to restrain that freedom. True spiritual maturity is not demonstrated by proving that we are right. It is demonstrated by using knowledge with humility and choosing what protects and strengthens others. Saint James teaches that every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of lights. God gives life through His Word so that His people may become the first fruits of His new creation. Believers must therefore be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. The Word must be received humbly and then practised. Saint James warns against being hearers who immediately forget what they have heard. True religion becomes visible in practical mercy: controlling one’s speech, caring for orphans and widows in their suffering, and keeping oneself free from the corruption of the world. In Acts, Saint Paul recounts his conversion. He had been travelling toward Damascus to persecute Christians when divine light suddenly surrounded him. Jesus confronted him and redirected his entire life. Paul’s story shows that grace can interrupt a destructive path. The Lord does not merely expose Paul’s wrongdoing; He gives him a new mission. The persecutor becomes a witness because he responds to the heavenly call. In the Gospel, a man asks Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute. Jesus recognises that the deeper problem is greed and warns: “One’s life does not consist of possessions.” The rich man in the parable receives an abundant harvest but thinks only about storing everything for himself. He prepares larger barns but does not prepare his soul to meet God. He is materially wealthy but spiritually poor. Jesus then tells His disciples not to be consumed by anxiety. God feeds the ravens, even though they neither sow nor gather into barns. Human beings are far more valuable to Him. The Sunday of the Young Ravens therefore joins two warnings: do not live through greed, and do not live through anxiety. Greed says that we never possess enough; anxiety says that God will not provide enough. Faith responds by trusting the Father, receiving His gifts with gratitude, sharing them generously, and becoming rich in what matters to God. The rain of grace produces fruit when believers practise the Word, control their speech, care for vulnerable people, use knowledge with love, abandon greed, and trust the providence of the heavenly Father.

• 9 ነሓሰ 2019 · ዛቲ ይእቲ

  The Letter to the Hebrews presents Abraham and Sarah as people who lived by faith. Abraham obeyed God and departed without knowing exactly where he was going. He lived as a stranger and pilgrim because he looked forward to the city whose architect and builder is God. Sarah also received strength to participate in God’s promise because she trusted the One who had spoken. Abraham and Sarah acknowledged that they were strangers on earth and desired a better homeland—a heavenly one prepared by God. The Blessed Virgin Mary stands in this same history of faith. Like Abraham, she received a divine call that changed the direction of her life. She did not receive every explanation, but she entrusted herself to God’s promise. Saint John teaches that Christians must walk in both truth and love. Love is not separated from God’s commandments, and truth cannot be separated from the confession that Jesus Christ truly came in the flesh. This teaching is especially important during Filseta. Devotion to Mary must remain centred upon the truth of the Incarnation. She is honoured because the eternal Son truly received human flesh through her and entered the world for our salvation. In Acts, Paul and the passengers experience shipwreck. The ship is destroyed, but God preserves every life, just as He promised. Some reach the shore by swimming, while others hold onto pieces of the broken ship. This passage shows that faith does not guarantee an easy journey. Sometimes the ship we trusted may be lost, but God’s promise remains secure. He can carry His people safely through situations that appear completely broken. In the Gospel, the angel explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and that the power of the Most High will overshadow her. The child born from her will be holy and will be called the Son of God. Mary then visits Elizabeth. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognises the mystery unfolding before her and proclaims: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” She also identifies the deepest foundation of Mary’s blessedness: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Mary’s greatness is revealed through her faith. She receives God’s Word, places her life at His service, carries Christ within her, and brings Him to others. The Christian life is also a pilgrimage. We may encounter uncertainty, displacement, storms, or apparent shipwreck. Yet we continue toward the heavenly homeland by believing God’s promises, walking in truth and love, and carrying Christ into the lives of others. The Church honours Mary not only by praising her name, but by following her example: hearing God’s Word, believing it, obeying it, and remaining faithful until the journey reaches its heavenly destination.

• 2 ነሓሰ 2019 · ድንግል ንወድሳ

  Saint Paul announces that when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, so that humanity might be redeemed and receive adoption as God’s children. This reading reveals the important place of the Blessed Virgin Mary in salvation history. God freely chose her to become the Mother of His incarnate Son. Through the humanity Christ received from Mary, He entered our condition, redeemed us from slavery, and opened the way for us to call God: “Abba, Father.” True praise of Mary must therefore lead us toward Jesus Christ. We honour her because of what God accomplished in her and because she always directs the Church toward her Son. Saint Peter teaches that faith may be tested through suffering, just as gold is purified by fire. Trials can produce a faith more precious than gold when believers remain faithful to Christ. The prophets searched and prayed concerning the salvation that has now been revealed through Jesus. Mary also lived by this persevering faith. She did not understand every detail of God’s plan in advance, but she trusted His word and remained faithful through uncertainty, suffering, the Cross, and the waiting that followed. In Acts, after the Ascension of Jesus, the apostles return to Jerusalem and remain united in prayer. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is present among them. She does not separate herself from the apostolic community; she prays with the Church while everyone waits for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Mary is therefore shown as a woman of communion, prayer, patience, and hope. She gathers with the disciples and supports the beginning of the Church’s mission through her faithful presence. In the Gospel, some people demand an extraordinary sign from Jesus. He points them toward the sign of Jonah, anticipating His death, burial, and Resurrection. The greatest sign is not a display designed to satisfy curiosity; it is Christ’s Paschal mystery. When Jesus is told that His mother and relatives are outside, He teaches that whoever does the will of His heavenly Father belongs to His family. These words do not dishonour Mary. They reveal the deepest reason for her greatness: she heard God’s word, believed it, and obeyed His will. To praise the Virgin truthfully means imitating her faith. Christians are called to receive Christ, remain united in prayer, persevere through trials, obey the Father’s will, and live as His adopted children. Mary’s glory always points beyond herself to the merciful God who sent His Son for our salvation.

• 25 ሓምለ 2019 · በሰንበት ቦአ / በሰንበት ቦአ ኢየሱስ

  Saint Paul recalls how the Israelites passed through the sea, received spiritual food, and drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them—Christ. They experienced great blessings, yet many later fell through idolatry, immorality, testing God, and constant complaining. Receiving spiritual gifts does not automatically guarantee faithfulness. Baptism, worship, Scripture, and the sacraments must be accompanied by repentance and obedience. Paul warns believers not to become overconfident. The person who believes he is standing securely must remain watchful. Temptation is common to human life, but God is faithful and provides the grace necessary to resist it. His conclusion is direct: “Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry.” Idolatry includes not only worshipping statues but allowing possessions, power, status, pleasure, fear, or another created reality to take God’s rightful place. Saint James warns that the tongue, though small, can control and damage an entire life. A small fire can burn a great forest, and careless words can destroy families, friendships, communities, and reputations. With the same tongue, human beings bless God and curse people created in God’s likeness. This contradiction should not exist among Christians. Those renewed by grace must ask the Holy Spirit to purify their speech so that their words heal rather than wound. In Acts, the ship carrying Paul has been driven through the storm for many days. Everyone is exhausted and afraid. Paul urges them to eat, regain strength, and trust that God will preserve their lives. Faith does not ignore practical human needs. Paul prays and gives thanks, but he also encourages the travellers to eat and prepare for the danger ahead. Spiritual courage and practical care belong together. The Gospel presents Jesus fulfilling the prophecy that He took away human infirmities and bore human diseases. He heals the sick and reveals His authority over suffering. When Jesus and His disciples cross the sea, a violent storm arises. The disciples panic, but Jesus commands the winds and sea, and a great calm follows. He then delivers men oppressed by demons, demonstrating His authority over both visible and invisible powers. Christ is Lord over sickness, storms, demons, temptation, and every force that frightens humanity. Yet following Him also requires serious commitment. Disciples cannot merely admire His miracles; they must entrust their lives completely to Him. The dew of divine grace often works quietly, but its effects are powerful. Christ refreshes the weary, heals the wounded, calms the fearful heart, and delivers those oppressed by evil. Our response is to flee idolatry, resist temptation, control our speech, care for people in distress, and trust Christ during the storm. The One who bears our weakness is present with us, and no power is greater than His authority.

• 18 ሓምለ 2019 · በቀዳሚ ገብረ / በቀዳሚ ገብረ እግዚአብሔር ሰማየ ወምድረ

  The Letter to the Hebrews defines faith as confidence in what is hoped for and conviction concerning realities that are not yet seen. Through faith, believers understand that the universe was created by the Word of God. Creation is therefore not without meaning or direction. Heaven, earth, clouds, rain, human life, and history exist through the wisdom and power of the Creator. Abel worships God through faith. Enoch walks faithfully with God. Noah obeys God before the flood becomes visible. Abraham leaves his homeland without knowing every detail of the journey because he trusts the One who called him. Faith does not mean understanding everything in advance. It means obeying God because His character and promises are trustworthy. Saint Peter warns that false teachers will secretly introduce destructive doctrines and exploit others. God’s patience should not be mistaken for approval. The Lord knows how to rescue the faithful from trials and how to judge persistent wickedness. The Church must therefore remain spiritually alert. Not every impressive teacher, popular message, or religious claim comes from God. True teaching leads people toward Christ, holiness, humility, obedience, and love. In Athens, Saint Paul sees a city filled with idols. He begins with the people’s altar to an unknown god and proclaims the God whom they do not yet know. The true God created the world and everything within it. He does not depend upon temples built by human hands, nor does He need anything from humanity. Instead, He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. Paul calls his listeners to move beyond images made of gold, silver, or stone. God now calls everyone to repentance because He has appointed a day of judgment and has confirmed this by raising Jesus from the dead. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that no one knows the exact day or hour of His coming. The proper response is not endless calculation but faithful readiness. The faithful servant continues performing the responsibility entrusted by the master. The unfaithful servant behaves as though the master will never return and begins abusing others and living carelessly. The Sunday of the Cloud reminds us that much of God’s work remains hidden from human sight. Nevertheless, the Creator remains faithful and history is moving toward fulfilment in Christ. We prepare for the Lord by walking in faith, rejecting idols and false teaching, fulfilling our responsibilities, treating others justly, and remaining awake in prayer. Blessed is the servant whom the Lord finds faithfully completing his work.

• 11 ሓምለ 2019 · ዘራኢ ውእቱ

  Saint Paul teaches that the way a person sows determines the harvest. The person who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, while the person who sows generously will reap generously. Christian giving must not come from pressure, fear, or the desire to impress others. God desires generosity that comes freely from the heart. He provides His people with what they need so that they can share with others and become rich in good works. The harvest of generosity is greater than material assistance. It produces thanksgiving to God, strengthens communion between believers, and reveals that the Gospel has truly transformed the giver’s heart. Saint James distinguishes between earthly wisdom and wisdom from above. Earthly wisdom is driven by jealousy, selfish ambition, pride, and competition. Wherever such attitudes rule, disorder and harmful behaviour follow. Heavenly wisdom is pure, peaceful, gentle, obedient, merciful, sincere, and full of good fruits. Those who make peace sow a harvest of righteousness. Therefore, the Christian must consider not only what is being planted but also the spirit in which it is planted. In Acts, Paul and the other travellers are trapped in a violent storm. They lose hope of survival, but Paul stands among them and delivers God’s message of reassurance. The ship will be lost, but their lives will be preserved. Paul is technically a prisoner, yet his faith allows him to become a source of courage for everyone aboard. A servant of God can bring hope into a frightened community even without possessing worldly authority. Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” truly belongs to Him. Words, religious claims, and outward activity cannot replace obedience to the Father’s will. The wise person hears Christ’s words and acts upon them. Such a person resembles someone who builds a house upon rock. Storms still come, but the house remains standing because its foundation is secure. The foolish person hears the same teaching but refuses to practise it. When rain, floods, and winds arrive, the house collapses because it was founded upon sand. Christ is both the Sower and the firm foundation. We receive His seed by listening to His Word, but the Word becomes fruitful only when it produces generosity, heavenly wisdom, courage in trials, and practical obedience. The Christian should therefore sow generously, speak peaceably, encourage frightened people, and build every decision upon Christ. A life rooted in Him can endure even the strongest storm.

• 4 ሓምለ 2019 · ይሠጠዎ

  The rainy season provides a powerful image for God’s grace. Rain falls upon the earth, but fruit appears only where the soil receives it properly. In the same way, God continually gives His Word, mercy, sacraments, and spiritual gifts, but the human heart must receive and protect what He gives. Saint Paul teaches that Christian sacrifice and perseverance make sense because the dead will truly rise. Using the image of a seed, he explains that what is sown must first die before it receives a new and more glorious form. The body is sown in weakness and corruption, but it will be raised in power and incorruptibility. This resurrection hope should change the way Christians live now. Saint Paul warns believers not to be deceived by corrupting influences. The expectation of eternal life does not give permission for careless living; it calls us to sobriety, holiness, courage, and perseverance. Saint Peter warns about false teachers who promise freedom while they themselves are enslaved by corruption. Their words resemble springs without water: they appear to offer refreshment, but they cannot give life. Christians must therefore distinguish between the living water of Christ and teachings that flatter human desires while leading people back into sin. In Acts, Paul heals a man who had been unable to walk. The people mistakenly attempt to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods. The apostles immediately reject this honour and direct the people toward the living God who created heaven and earth and who gives rain, fruitful seasons, food, and gladness. Every blessing of nature should lead humanity toward the Creator rather than toward idols. Rain, harvest, healing, and life are gifts that reveal God’s goodness. Jesus tells the parable of the sower. The same seed falls upon different kinds of ground, but the results are different. Some hearts are hardened; some receive the Word only temporarily; some allow trials or worldly concerns to destroy it. Fruit is produced in those who receive the Word deeply and remain faithful. God grants the rain and sows the seed, but we must prepare the soil of our hearts. We do this through repentance, prayer, attention to Scripture, rejection of false teaching, faithful participation in the Church, and perseverance during trials. The heart that remains in Christ will produce fruit now and will finally be raised with Him in glory.

• 27 ሰነ 2019 · ደምፀ እግሪሁ

  The Letter to the Hebrews compares the human heart to land that receives rain. Land that absorbs the rain and produces useful plants receives blessing, while land that produces only thorns fails to fulfil its purpose. God’s grace is like rain poured upon human life. The question is whether that grace produces faith, love, perseverance, service, and holiness—or whether the heart remains filled with spiritual thorns. The passage encourages believers not to become lazy but to imitate those who inherit God’s promises through faith and patience. Christian hope is described as a secure and firm anchor for the soul. Saint James calls Christians to speak truthfully without careless oaths. He teaches the suffering to pray, the joyful to sing praise, and the sick to seek the prayer of the Church. The prayer of faith, confession of sins, mutual support, and the effort to bring back a person who has wandered are all part of the healing ministry of the Christian community. The believer does not face suffering alone. In Acts, Paul is being transported by sea when the journey encounters dangerous winds. His warning is ignored, and the ship is driven by the storm. Human confidence and experience are not always enough to control the forces confronting us. The passage begins a longer story in which Paul’s faith becomes a source of courage for everyone on the ship. Even as a prisoner, he becomes the person who listens to God and strengthens others. In the Gospel, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom while accompanied by the Twelve and by women who support the mission from their resources. Their presence shows that discipleship includes listening, service, generosity, and active participation in Christ’s work. Jesus then tells the parable of the sower. The seed is the Word of God, but its fruit depends upon the condition of the soil. Some hear only briefly; some fall away during testing; others are choked by anxiety, wealth, and pleasure. The good soil represents those who hear the Word, hold it firmly, and bear fruit through perseverance. Jesus also teaches that the lamp must not be hidden. Those who receive His Word are called to allow its light to become visible. His true family consists of those who hear the Word of God and act upon it. The rainy season becomes a spiritual image: God sends His Word and grace like rain. Christians must receive them deeply, remove the thorns of anxiety and worldly attachment, remain anchored in hope, pray through suffering, and bear lasting fruit through faithful obedience.

• 20 ሰነ 2019 · ናክብር ሰንበቶ

  Saint Paul warns against condemning others while committing the same sins ourselves. God’s judgment is based upon truth and is not influenced by status, religious background, or outward appearance. The kindness and patience of God are intended to lead people toward repentance. They should never be interpreted as permission to continue deliberately in sin. Every person is called to examine his or her own life before judging someone else. The Third Letter of John praises Gaius because he walks in truth and shows hospitality to travelling missionaries. Christian truth is not only correct teaching; it is also expressed through generosity, faithfulness, and practical support for those serving the Gospel. The letter also warns about Diotrephes, who loves to be first, refuses legitimate authority, spreads harmful accusations, and prevents others from practising hospitality. Pride can corrupt religious service when leadership becomes a search for control or recognition. In Acts, Paul continues his mission even after being attacked and left for dead. He strengthens the disciples and teaches them that entrance into God’s Kingdom may involve many hardships. The apostles appoint leaders, pray, fast, and entrust the communities to God. Their ministry demonstrates perseverance. The Gospel continues growing not because the apostles avoid suffering, but because they remain faithful through it. In the Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a wedding banquet. Many invited guests refuse to attend because they are occupied with possessions, work, or hostility toward the king’s messengers. The invitation is then extended widely to others. However, entering the banquet also requires the proper wedding garment. God’s invitation is freely given, but it calls for conversion. Grace should produce a changed heart and a life worthy of the invitation. The Church must proclaim the invitation to everyone without partiality. Those who receive it are called to repent, walk in truth, welcome others, remain faithful in hardship, and put on the garment of a transformed Christian life.

• 13 ሰነ 2019 · ዐርገ እግዚአብሔር

  Saint Paul prays that Christians may receive wisdom and spiritual understanding so that they can know the hope of God’s calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power. That divine power was revealed when God raised Christ from the dead and seated Him above every earthly and spiritual authority. Christ is the Head of the Church, and the Church is His Body. The ascended Lord is therefore not absent from His people; He reigns over them and continues working through them. Saint John teaches believers to remain in the truth they received from the beginning. Those who remain in the Son also remain in the Father and possess the promise of eternal life. The anointing of the Holy Spirit helps the faithful recognise truth and resist deception. The proper preparation for Christ’s appearing is to remain in Him and practise righteousness. In Acts, Saint Peter proclaims Jesus in the home of Cornelius. While Peter is speaking, the Holy Spirit descends upon Gentile listeners. The Jewish believers are amazed because the gift of the Spirit has also been poured out upon the nations. Peter understands that no one should prevent these believers from receiving baptism. God’s grace is not restricted by ethnicity, nationality, culture, or former separation. Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, people from every nation are invited into one Church. Jesus tells His disciples to remain in Him and allow His words to remain in them. He commands them to love one another as He has loved them. Christian love is sacrificial, faithful, and willing to give itself for others. Christ also warns that the world may hate His disciples because they no longer belong to its sinful values. Opposition should not cause Christians to abandon love or truth. The disciple remains faithful because Christ first chose and loved him. The ascended Lord calls His Church to lift its eyes toward heaven while continuing its mission on earth. Christians must remain united to Christ, welcome those whom the Spirit calls, love sacrificially, and persevere when discipleship brings rejection.

• 6 ሰነ 2019 · ዐርገ እምነቤሆሙ

  Saint Paul teaches the Christian community to prepare a regular collection for believers who are in need. Generosity should not depend only on sudden emotion. It should become a disciplined and faithful part of Christian life. Paul also recognises that God has opened a great door for ministry, even though many people oppose him. An open door from God does not always mean that the work will be easy. Mission may be accompanied by resistance, sacrifice, and difficulty, but believers should remain faithful. Saint John addresses Christians at different levels of maturity. Their sins have been forgiven through Christ; they know the Father; the Word of God remains within them; and through that Word they can overcome evil. At the same time, John warns them not to love the sinful values of the world. Possessions, pride, uncontrolled desire, and worldly recognition pass away. The person who does the will of God remains forever. In Acts, the disciples gather on the first day of the week for the breaking of bread. During Paul’s long teaching, a young man named Eutychus falls from a window and appears dead. Through God’s intervention, he is restored, and the community receives great encouragement. This gathering shows the Church listening to apostolic teaching, celebrating communion, caring for the fallen, and receiving consolation together. The community does not abandon the one who has fallen; it surrounds him with faith and concern. Jesus tells His disciples that they may ask the Father in His name and receive the joy that comes from communion with God. He also warns them that they will scatter and leave Him alone. Yet Christ is not truly alone, because the Father remains with Him. Jesus concludes: “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage; I have conquered the world.” The Church lives between suffering and victory. Christians may experience weakness, opposition, separation, or fear, but Christ has already overcome the world. Therefore, believers must gather faithfully, strengthen the fallen, support those in need, remain rooted in God’s Word, and continue serving with courage.

• 29 ግንቦት 2019 · ይትፌሣሕ

  On Pentecost, the disciples are gathered together when the Holy Spirit descends upon them with the signs of wind and fire. They begin proclaiming God’s mighty works in different languages, and people from many nations hear the Gospel in words they can understand. The miracle of Pentecost does not destroy human diversity. The Spirit gathers different peoples into unity while allowing each person to hear within his or her own language and culture. The Church is therefore called to be universal: united in faith while embracing many peoples, languages, and gifts. Saint Paul teaches that spiritual gifts come from the same Holy Spirit. One person may receive wisdom, another knowledge, another faith, healing, prophecy, discernment, or another form of service. No gift is given merely to increase personal honour. Every manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of the whole community. The Church is one body with many members. The members do not all possess the same role, but each belongs to Christ and contributes to the life of His Body. Spiritual jealousy, competition, and pride contradict the purpose of the gifts. Saint John teaches that Christians have received an anointing from the Holy One. They must remain in the truth concerning Jesus Christ and resist teachings that separate the Son from the Father. The Spirit never leads believers away from Christ; He helps them remain in Christ and inherit eternal life. Jesus explains that the coming of the Advocate is necessary for the mission of the Church. The Holy Spirit exposes sin, reveals righteousness, defeats false judgment, and guides the disciples into the fullness of truth. Pentecost therefore calls Christians to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit. We must allow Him to purify us, unite us, guide us into truth, and transform our abilities into gifts of service. A Spirit-filled Church is not divided by pride but united in Christ, courageous in witness, and generous in serving others.

• 22 ግንቦት 2019 · በሰንበት ዐርገ

  Saint Paul teaches that religious zeal must be guided by the truth revealed in Jesus Christ. Salvation is not achieved by trying to establish our own righteousness. Christ is the fulfilment and goal of the Law for everyone who believes. The saving Word is not distant or unreachable. It is near us—in our mouths and in our hearts. Saint Paul summarises the response of faith: Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess Him as Lord. This salvation is offered without discrimination. There is one Lord who is generous toward everyone who calls upon Him: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Saint John warns believers against teachings that deny Jesus as the Christ. Christians have received an anointing from the Holy One and must remain in the truth entrusted to them. The believer must remain in Christ so that when He appears, we may meet Him with confidence rather than shame. True knowledge of Christ produces righteous living. Those who profess faith in Him must allow that faith to shape their conduct. In Acts, the disciples ask Jesus when He will restore the Kingdom. Jesus redirects their attention away from dates and speculation. Their responsibility is not to know every hidden time fixed by the Father. Their responsibility is mission: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” The mission begins in Jerusalem but extends to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The Ascension does not mean that Christ has abandoned His disciples. It marks the beginning of their Spirit-filled responsibility to carry His Gospel throughout the world. After Jesus is taken from their sight, the disciples continue looking upward. The heavenly messengers ask why they are standing there gazing into heaven. Christ will return, but until that day the Church must fulfil the mission He has given. In the Gospel, Jesus connects love with obedience: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” He promises another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will remain with the disciples, teach them, remind them of Christ’s words, and make God’s presence dwell within them. Jesus gives His disciples a peace different from the peace offered by the world. Because of that peace, their hearts should not be troubled or afraid. The Ascension directs the eyes of Christians toward heaven but does not remove their responsibility on earth. We await Christ’s return by remaining in His truth, obeying His commandments, receiving the Holy Spirit, confessing Him openly, and carrying the Gospel through our words, service, and holy lives. The ascended Lord reigns in glory, but He continues His saving work through the Church. Every Christian is therefore called to become a witness—from the place where he or she lives to the ends of the earth.

• 15 ግንቦት 2019 · ፋሲካ ፋሲካ

  Saint Paul describes the human body as an earthly dwelling or tent that will not remain forever. Christians possess the hope of an eternal dwelling prepared by God. Human mortality produces suffering, weakness, and longing. Yet God has prepared His people for resurrection and has given the Holy Spirit as the first pledge of the life to come. Therefore, Christians can remain courageous. We do not yet see the fullness of what God has promised, but: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” Walking by faith does not mean ignoring reality. It means trusting God’s promise even when our present condition is weak, uncertain, or painful. Whether in this life or before the Lord, our highest desire should be to please Him. Saint Peter teaches that because Christ suffered in the flesh, Christians must adopt the same obedient attitude. They should no longer spend their lives following uncontrolled human desires but seeking the will of God. The time that remains should be devoted to prayer, self-control, intense love, hospitality, and service. Every person has received some gift from God. Those gifts are not private possessions; they are forms of grace entrusted to us for the benefit of others. The person who teaches should speak faithfully according to God’s Word. The person who serves should serve with the strength God supplies. Everything must be done so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. In Acts, Saint Peter proclaims the apostolic testimony: the disciples witnessed the ministry, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. God raised Him on the third day and appointed the apostles to bear witness. Peter declares that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name. The Resurrection message is therefore inseparable from repentance, mercy, and reconciliation with God. In the Gospel, the disciples return to fishing but catch nothing during the night. At daybreak, the risen Jesus stands on the shore, although they do not initially recognise Him. Jesus tells them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. When they obey, they receive an abundant catch. Their human experience and effort had produced nothing, but obedience to Christ transforms emptiness into abundance. The beloved disciple recognises Him and says: “It is the Lord.” Jesus has already prepared bread and fish for His tired disciples. The Lord who calls them to work also feeds, restores, and strengthens them. Paschal faith teaches us to keep obeying Christ even after disappointment. We must walk by faith rather than sight, use our gifts in service, welcome others without complaint, proclaim forgiveness, and cast our nets according to the Lord’s word. Christ can transform an empty night into a fruitful morning.

• 8 ግንቦት 2019 · አርአየ ሥልጣኖ

  Saint Paul proclaims the final victory of the Resurrection. Human flesh in its present mortal condition cannot inherit the fullness of God’s Kingdom. Humanity must be transformed: what is perishable must become imperishable, and what is mortal must be clothed with immortality. When this transformation is completed, the prophetic promise will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” Death is no longer humanity’s final master. Sin gives death its destructive power, but God gives us victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Because Christ has conquered death, Saint Paul tells Christians to remain firm, steadfast, and fully devoted to the Lord’s work. Faithful service is never wasted, even when its fruits are not immediately visible. Saint John explains that resurrection faith must become visible through love. Christ laid down His life for us; therefore, Christians must also be prepared to give themselves for their brothers and sisters. Love cannot remain only in words or good intentions. When we see someone in need and possess the means to help, the love of God requires a practical response. Christians are called to love in deed and truth. In Acts, Saint Peter proclaims that Jesus was delivered according to God’s saving plan, crucified, and raised from the dead. Death could not hold Him. Peter uses the Scriptures to show that the Resurrection fulfils God’s promises and reveals Jesus as the promised Messiah. The Gospel then shows how the risen Christ restores Saint Peter. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Now Jesus asks him three times: “Do you love me?” Peter’s failure is not ignored, but neither is it allowed to define the rest of his life. Christ heals the wound of his denial and renews his apostolic mission. Each time Peter professes his love, Jesus gives him responsibility for the flock: “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.” Love for Christ must become care for His people. Christian leadership is not power over others; it is sacrificial service, protection of the weak, teaching of the truth, and willingness to follow Christ even when discipleship becomes costly. The authority Christ revealed over death now gives hope to the Church. Those who believe in the Resurrection must remain steadfast, serve without fear, love through practical actions, forgive those who have failed, and care faithfully for the flock entrusted to them.

• 1 ግንቦት 2019 · ተንሥአ ወአንሥአ

  Saint Paul teaches that those who have been raised with Christ must seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. The Resurrection is not only an event that happened to Jesus in the past. Through baptism and faith, Christians participate in His death and new life. Because we have been raised with Christ, we must put to death everything belonging to the old life: impurity, evil desire, greed, anger, malice, harmful speech, and falsehood. The risen life requires us to put away the old self and become renewed in the image of our Creator. In Christ, the divisions by which the world separates and ranks people lose their power. Christ is all and in all. Resurrection life therefore produces a community in which people of different backgrounds are united in one Lord. Saint Peter tells believers to sanctify Christ as Lord within their hearts and always be prepared to explain the reason for their hope. Christian witness must be offered with gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience—not through aggression, pride, or insult. Peter connects Christ’s suffering and Resurrection with baptism. Christ suffered for sins, the righteous One for the unrighteous, to lead humanity back to God. Baptism is not merely an external washing; it is an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Acts, Saint Paul proclaims that God fulfilled His promises by raising Jesus from the dead. Through Christ, forgiveness of sins is announced to everyone who believes. The apostles do not present the Resurrection as a private spiritual experience; they proclaim it as God’s saving action for the whole world. In the Gospel, the disciples from Emmaus return to Jerusalem and announce what happened on the road. While the disciples are speaking, the risen Jesus stands among them and says: “Peace be with you.” They are frightened and think they are seeing a spirit. Jesus shows them His hands and feet and invites them to recognise that He has truly risen. His Resurrection is real, bodily, and victorious. Christ brings peace into the frightened community and transforms confused disciples into witnesses. We honour His Resurrection when we reject the old life, walk in holiness, defend our hope with gentleness, and proclaim that forgiveness and new life are available through Him.

• 24 ሚያዝያ 2019 · ወበእሁድ ሰንበት

  Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb early, while it is still dark. The darkness reflects not only the time of day but also her sorrow and confusion. She believes that the body of Jesus has been taken away. Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb. They find the burial cloths but no body. The beloved disciple sees and believes, although the disciples have not yet fully understood the Scriptures concerning the Resurrection. Mary remains outside the tomb weeping. Her grief is so deep that she initially fails to recognise Jesus when He stands before her. She thinks He is the gardener. Everything changes when Jesus calls her by name: “Mary!” The risen Christ knows His disciples personally. He meets Mary in her grief and transforms her mourning into mission. She goes to the disciples with the Paschal proclamation: “I have seen the Lord.” Saint John teaches that the Christian message is based upon what the apostles heard, saw, and touched concerning the Word of Life. Their testimony invites others into communion with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. God is light, and no darkness exists in Him. Christians cannot claim communion with God while deliberately walking in darkness. Resurrection life requires honesty, confession of sin, reconciliation, and willingness to live openly before God. Saint Paul again teaches that the death and Resurrection of Christ form the foundation of the Gospel. Without the Resurrection, faith would be empty and humanity would remain imprisoned by sin. Because Christ has risen, Christian faith, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life have a firm foundation. In Acts, the apostles are ordered to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. Saint Peter answers: “We must obey God rather than men.” The Resurrection gives the apostles courage to place obedience to God above fear of punishment. They cannot remain silent because they have become witnesses of what God accomplished through Christ. The risen Lord still calls His people by name. He meets us in grief, brings us from darkness into light, forgives our sins, and sends us to proclaim what we have encountered. The proper response to the Resurrection is therefore not only saying that Christ has risen. It is walking in the light, obeying God, confessing our sins, living in communion, and telling others through our words and conduct: “I have seen the Lord.”

• 17 ሚያዝያ 2019 · ይትፌሣሕ ሰማይ

  The Church continues proclaiming the Resurrection because the mystery cannot be exhausted in a single celebration. The disciples required time to understand what God had accomplished, and Christians also need continually to deepen their faith in the risen Lord. The women first encounter an empty tomb. They are frightened and confused, but the heavenly message directs them back to the words of Jesus. Faith grows when they remember that Christ had already spoken about His suffering, death, and Resurrection. This teaches us that confusion and suffering should not cause us to forget God’s promises. When life appears empty and hope seems buried, Christians must return to the Word of Christ. The apostles initially consider the women’s testimony unbelievable. The Resurrection challenges ordinary human expectations. Nevertheless, God chooses these faithful women as the first witnesses who carry the Paschal announcement to the apostolic community. Saint Paul lists the appearances of the risen Christ to Peter, the apostles, many disciples, and finally to Paul himself. The Gospel of the Resurrection rests upon apostolic testimony and the real transforming encounter of believers with Christ. Peter, who had once denied Jesus, now stands publicly and proclaims that God raised Him from the dead and made Him both Lord and Messiah. The Resurrection does not merely comfort Peter; it restores his mission and gives him courage. Christ also restores those who have failed today. Past weakness does not have to define a person’s future. The risen Lord can transform fear into courage, guilt into forgiveness, mourning into hope, and failed disciples into faithful witnesses. Christians should therefore not keep the Resurrection inside the church celebration. They must carry it into families, workplaces, suffering communities, and every place where people believe that hope has ended. The Church repeats the Paschal readings so that the truth may become deeply rooted in us: Christ has risen. His promises are trustworthy. Death has been defeated, and everyone who belongs to Him is called to live and witness as a person of hope.

• 10 ሚያዝያ 2019 · ይትፌሣሕ ሰማይ

  The women arrive at the tomb expecting to find the body of Jesus. Instead, they discover that the stone has been rolled away and the tomb is empty. The heavenly messengers ask them: “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?” Jesus is not found among the dead because death could not hold Him. The women are invited to remember His words: He had already announced that He would suffer, be crucified, and rise on the third day. Their remembrance becomes faith, and their faith becomes witness. They leave the tomb and proclaim the good news to the apostles. Although their message is initially dismissed, Peter goes to the tomb and begins to recognise that something extraordinary has happened. Saint Paul teaches that the Resurrection is not an optional part of Christianity. It stands at the centre of the Gospel: Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to His disciples. If Christ had not been raised, Christian preaching and faith would be empty. But Christ has truly risen and become the first fruits of those who have died. His Resurrection guarantees that death will not have the final word over those who belong to Him. Saint Peter connects Christ’s death and Resurrection with baptism. Jesus suffered for sins, the righteous One for the unrighteous, to bring humanity back to God. Through baptism, Christians participate in Christ’s victory and receive a new life and a clear conscience before God. In Acts, Saint Peter publicly proclaims that the Jesus who was crucified has been raised and exalted by God. The fearful disciple has become a courageous apostolic witness because he has encountered the risen Lord and received the Holy Spirit. Resurrection faith must transform daily life. Christians cannot celebrate that Christ has risen while continuing to live as though sin, hatred, fear, despair, and death are still their masters. The risen Christ calls us to leave the tombs of sin, forgive those who have wounded us, recover hope, defend life, serve the suffering, and proclaim that God’s love is stronger than death. Heaven and earth rejoice because Christ is risen, death is conquered, the tomb is empty, and eternal life has been opened to humanity.

• 3 ሚያዝያ 2019 · ወእንዘ ሰሙን

  Hosanna Sunday presents Jesus as the true King of Israel. He does not enter Jerusalem surrounded by military power or worldly glory. He comes with humility, peace, and obedience to the Father. The people carry palm branches and proclaim Him King. Their praise is correct, but the coming days will reveal whether their praise is supported by faithful discipleship. It is possible to honour Christ with our lips while resisting His teaching through our actions. The Letter to the Hebrews reveals that Jesus is also the eternal High Priest. He entered the heavenly sanctuary not with the blood of animals but through His own blood. His sacrifice cleanses not only external impurity but the human conscience, freeing us to worship and serve the living God. Saint Peter teaches that those who belong to Christ must break with their former sinful way of life. Christians should no longer be controlled by uncontrolled desires, drunkenness, greed, idolatry, or the pressure to imitate the world. They must live according to God’s will, even when faithfulness brings misunderstanding or suffering. In Acts, Saint Paul continues proclaiming Christ despite accusations and opposition. Apollos also uses his knowledge of Scripture to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Christian witness requires courage, knowledge of God’s Word, humility, and willingness to receive fuller instruction. The palms we carry should therefore represent more than a temporary celebration. They should express our decision to follow Christ through obedience, sacrifice, suffering, and faithful service. The King who enters Jerusalem is also the Lamb who will offer Himself for the salvation of the world. To receive Him truthfully means allowing His blood to cleanse our consciences, abandoning sin, accepting His Cross, and remaining faithful after the joyful songs of Hosanna have ended.

• 26 መጋቢት 2019 · ሖረ ኀቤሁ

  Nicodemus is a Pharisee and teacher of Israel, but he comes to Jesus during the night. His darkness is not only physical. He desires truth but has not yet fully understood the identity and mission of Christ. Jesus tells him: “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus initially thinks only of physical birth. Jesus speaks instead about a new birth through water and the Holy Spirit. Entry into God’s Kingdom is not achieved merely through ancestry, education, religious status, or human discipline. It is a gift of divine grace. The Holy Spirit is compared to the wind. We cannot control Him, but we can recognise His work. He renews the heart, gives spiritual life, leads believers into truth, and transforms them into children of God. Jesus then connects this new birth with His Cross. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. God’s motivation is love: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” Christ did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Nevertheless, every person must respond. Those who prefer darkness avoid the light because they do not want their deeds exposed. Those who live according to truth come into the light. Saint Paul describes the human struggle with sin and the limitations of the Law. The Law is holy, but knowledge of the commandment alone cannot free the human person. We need the grace and new life that come through Christ and the Holy Spirit. Saint John warns believers to test the spirits because not every religious message comes from God. The true Spirit confesses Jesus Christ, who truly came in the flesh. Discernment must remain joined to love, because God’s saving action is revealed through the gift of His Son. In Acts, Gamaliel advises the council not to act rashly against the apostles. He explains that if their work is merely human, it will collapse, but if it comes from God, no one will be able to destroy it. After being punished, the apostles continue proclaiming Christ with joy and courage. Nicodemus Sunday asks every believer to move from darkness into light. It is possible to possess religious knowledge while still needing inner conversion. Christ calls us to receive new life, surrender to the Holy Spirit, believe in the crucified Son, practise discernment, and live in the love God first showed us.

• 19 መጋቢት 2019 · መኑ ውእቱ

  Saint Paul teaches that ministers of Christ must consider themselves servants and stewards of the mysteries of God. The essential requirement of a steward is faithfulness. A steward does not own what has been entrusted to him. Time, abilities, knowledge, possessions, responsibilities, ministry, and opportunities all belong ultimately to God. Every person will be asked how these gifts were used. Paul also warns against judging prematurely. Human beings see only external actions, but the Lord reveals the intentions of the heart. Christian service should therefore not be motivated by competition, public praise, or comparison with others. Saint Peter calls Christians to live honourably even among people who misunderstand or accuse them. By doing good, believers may silence false accusations and lead others to glorify God. Christian freedom must never become an excuse for wrongdoing. In Acts, Paul and Silas are beaten and imprisoned for proclaiming the Gospel. Instead of surrendering to despair, they pray and sing hymns during the night. Their faithful witness becomes an instrument through which the jailer and his household encounter salvation. The Gospel presents a master who entrusts different amounts to his servants. Two servants use what they receive and produce additional fruit. The third servant hides his talent because fear controls him. The problem is not that the third servant received less than the others. His failure is that he refuses to use what was entrusted to him. He sees the master only through fear and allows fear to produce inactivity. God does not require every person to accomplish the same work. He asks each person to be faithful with what has been given. One person may receive many visible responsibilities while another serves quietly, but both can hear: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” The Good Servant Sunday calls Christians to reject laziness, fear, jealousy, and excuses. We must use our gifts for God’s glory, serve others responsibly, remain faithful in suffering, and remember that we are stewards rather than owners.

• 12 መጋቢት 2019 · እንዘ ይነብር እግዚእነ

  Saint Paul teaches Christians to be renewed in the spirit of their minds and to put on the new self created according to God’s righteousness and holiness. Preparation for the Lord’s coming is not mainly about calculating dates. It begins with the transformation of daily life. Falsehood must be replaced with truth, uncontrolled anger with reconciliation, stealing with honest work, destructive speech with words that strengthen others, and bitterness with kindness and forgiveness. Saint Paul warns believers not to grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit seals Christians for the day of redemption, but believers must cooperate with His grace by abandoning hatred, shouting, malice, and every conduct that damages communion. Saint Peter reminds the Church that some people will mock the promise of Christ’s return. However, God is not slow. His apparent delay is an expression of patience because He desires people to repent rather than perish. The Day of the Lord will come unexpectedly. Since the present world will not remain forever, Christians must live in holiness, devotion, peace, and faithful expectation of the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. In Acts, the apostles and elders meet in Jerusalem to resolve a serious disagreement concerning Gentile converts. They listen to testimony, examine the matter, recognise the work of the Holy Spirit, and avoid placing unnecessary burdens upon those turning to God. This council gives an important model for the Church. Difficult questions should not be answered through pride, division, or personal competition. The community must pray, listen, discern, remain faithful to the Gospel, and seek unity under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples from the Mount of Olives about trials, deception, persecution, false prophets, and the coming of the Son of Man. He warns them not to be deceived or spiritually asleep. The exact day and hour are known only to the Father. Therefore, the disciple’s responsibility is not speculation but faithfulness. To remain watchful means putting on the new self, preserving unity, resisting false teaching, living in holiness, and fulfilling today’s duties faithfully. The person prepared to meet Christ is the one who is already walking with Him.

• 5 መጋቢት 2019 · አምላኩሰ ለአዳም

  Saint Paul declares: “Now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” The Great Fast is not merely preparation for a future change. God calls us to conversion today. We should not postpone repentance, reconciliation, confession, forgiveness, or the good works we know we must perform. Paul describes the hardships endured by the servants of God: affliction, imprisonment, labour, sleeplessness, and difficulty. Nevertheless, they continue serving through patience, purity, knowledge, kindness, sincere love, and the power of God. Christian faithfulness is proved not only in peaceful times but also when obedience becomes costly. Saint James explains that conflicts often begin with uncontrolled desires within the heart. Envy, pride, attachment to the world, and the desire to possess what belongs to others destroy communion. His remedy is clear: submit to God, resist evil, draw near to the Lord, purify the heart, and humble yourself before Him. In Acts, Saint Paul stands before Governor Felix and responds to false accusations. He refuses to abandon either truth or hope. He confesses his faith in the resurrection and seeks to maintain a clear conscience before God and other people. The Gospel presents people carrying a paralysed man to Jesus. Christ first says: “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus then heals his body to demonstrate that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. The healing reveals that Christ cares for the whole person—soul, body, conscience, relationships, and future. Jesus also calls Matthew from the customs post. Matthew rises immediately and follows Him. When religious leaders criticise Jesus for eating with sinners, He answers that the healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. Christ came not to congratulate those who believe they are already perfect, but to call sinners into conversion. We approach Him like the paralytic—unable to heal ourselves but trusting His mercy. He forgives us, raises us, and commands us to leave our former condition behind. Those whom Christ has raised must also help carry others to Him. The Church is called to become a community that does not abandon the spiritually wounded but brings them to the Lord through prayer, mercy, truth, and compassionate service.

• 28 የካቲት 2019 · ቦአ ኢየሱስ / ቤተ አቡየ

  The Sunday of ምኩራብ calls believers to examine the condition of God’s house. At the first level, God’s house is the sacred place of worship. It must never be treated as an ordinary meeting hall, a place for personal profit, political ambition, competition, entertainment, or self-promotion. At a deeper level, the Church is God’s house—the community in which Christ gathers, teaches, heals, sanctifies, and nourishes His people. At a personal level, every believer must ask whether the heart has truly become a dwelling place for God. Christ desires to cleanse all three: the visible place of worship; the community of believers; and the hidden temple of the human heart.

• ፳፩ / የካቲት · ግነዩ ለእግዚአብሔር

  Saint Paul teaches that the will of God is our sanctification. Christians must not live according to uncontrolled desires or treat others as objects for personal gratification. The human body belongs to God and should be honoured as part of a holy life. Holiness also includes brotherly love, peaceful conduct, honest work, and responsible daily living. The person who fasts should not become quarrelsome, lazy, judgmental, or dependent upon others unnecessarily. Spiritual devotion should produce discipline, love, peace, and integrity. Saint Peter calls believers to place their hope fully in the grace of Jesus Christ. Because the One who called us is holy, we must also be holy in every aspect of life. We were not redeemed with temporary things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. The Word of God gives new and enduring life. Human glory fades like grass and flowers, but the Word of the Lord remains forever. The fasting Christian should therefore build life upon what is eternal rather than upon passing desires and possessions. In Acts, Saint Peter receives a vision challenging his former understanding of clean and unclean. God teaches him not to call profane anyone whom God has accepted. When messengers from Cornelius arrive, Peter welcomes them and enters a Gentile household. This passage challenges every form of prejudice. A person cannot seek holiness while despising people because of their ethnicity, nationality, background, social position, or former life. God’s grace reaches beyond the boundaries human beings construct. Jesus teaches His disciples not to make their fasting obvious through a sad or neglected appearance. The purpose of fasting is not to advertise personal holiness. The Father who sees in secret knows the sincerity of the heart. Christ also teaches us to store treasure in heaven, serve God rather than wealth, and refuse to be controlled by anxiety. The Father feeds the birds and clothes the flowers; He knows what His children need. The centre of Christian life is therefore: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” True holiness means belonging completely to God. It becomes visible through purity, love, honest work, welcome for others, freedom from greed, trust in divine providence, and a fasting heart that seeks the Father rather than human admiration.

• ፲፬ / የካቲት · ተቀነዩ / ተቀነዩ ለእግዚአብሔር በፍርሃት

  The beginning of the Great Fast is a call to spiritual renewal. Hebrews tells believers to strengthen weak hands and trembling knees, make straight paths, pursue peace, and seek the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Fasting is therefore not only about avoiding certain foods. It is a journey toward healing, holiness, reconciliation, and renewed obedience. A person may observe an external fast while still carrying bitterness, pride, hatred, or injustice. God desires the restoration of the whole person. The Letter of Saint John teaches that love comes from God. Whoever loves is born of God and knows God, because God is love. Divine love was revealed when the Father sent His Son so that humanity might receive life through Him. Christian love begins not with our achievement but with God’s initiative. God loved us first. Therefore, anyone who receives His love must also love others. Prayer and fasting that do not produce mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and reconciliation remain incomplete. In Acts, God appears to Moses in the burning bush. Moses had fled into the wilderness after failure and rejection, but God had not finished with him. The Lord had seen the suffering of His people, heard their cries, and descended to deliver them. He called Moses to participate in that work of liberation. The Gospel teaches how to give alms, pray, and fast. Jesus warns against performing religious actions to attract human praise. The person who gives, prays, or fasts merely to be admired has already received the only reward being sought. The Father sees what is hidden. True fasting is offered to Him with humility. True prayer seeks His will rather than public honour. True charity helps the poor without using their suffering to increase our reputation. The Lord’s Prayer also teaches that those who ask God for forgiveness must be willing to forgive others. The Great Fast begins by entering the hidden room of the heart, closing the door against pride, and meeting the Father in sincerity. Through the Covenant of Mercy, we also remember that the Blessed Virgin Mary directs us toward the mercy of her Son. The proper response is repentance, trust, love, forgiveness, prayer, fasting, and service to those who suffer.

• ፯ / የካቲት · ወብዙኃን ኖሎት

  Saint Paul expresses deep sorrow for those among his own people who have not accepted Christ. He recalls the covenants, promises, worship, and patriarchs entrusted to Israel. Nevertheless, salvation is not something anyone can demand because of ancestry, position, or human effort. It depends upon the mercy and calling of God. This teaching should lead Christians to humility. We cannot boast as though we created our own salvation. God’s grace is a gift. Those who have received mercy should pray for others, avoid spiritual pride, and become instruments through whom others encounter that same mercy. Saint John addresses believers at different stages of spiritual life: children whose sins have been forgiven, young people who have overcome evil, and mature believers who know the One who existed from the beginning. Every Christian is called to continue growing rather than remaining spiritually immature. John also warns against loving the sinful values of the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and pride in possessions or status. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God remains forever. In Acts, Saint Stephen recalls the history of Joseph. Joseph was rejected by his brothers, sold into suffering, and taken into Egypt, but God remained with him and used him to preserve life. What appeared to be abandonment became part of God’s plan for deliverance. The Gospel presents Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus crosses social, religious, and cultural boundaries to speak with her. He knows her wounded history but does not reject her. Instead, He offers her living water and reveals that the Father seeks worshippers who worship in Spirit and truth. True worship is not merely being present in a holy place or belonging to the correct community. It is allowing God to transform the heart. The Lord seeks people who receive His mercy, abandon sinful attachments, remain in His truth, and become wells of living water for others. Christ is the Shepherd who gathers people from divided communities into one flock. Those who drink the water He gives are called to leave behind prejudice, pride, spiritual dryness, and false worship.