Devotion April 10, 2024

Devotion April 9, 2024

Sunday Reflection (April 7, 2024)

We damage fellowship through indifference that fails to acknowledge how we injure others by what we say and do. We do this on personal and social levels that pass along racism and prejudice that damage our social and civil lives. We damage fellowship unintentionally and intentionally. We are without excuse, but there is a way to reconnect us when we fail each other personally and open the door to the healing of fellowship in the civil and social order (1:9-2:2). It is confession and forgiveness!
The ultimate purpose of confession and forgiveness is to restore harmony and peace within our web of relationships. Having personally experienced the transformative power of reconciliation with God and each other through Jesus Christ, we are not just called but empowered to extend this reconciliation to the world (1 John 1:1-2:2). May we invite others to partake in this transformative journey of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation, which commences with a humble confession. Through these acts, we heal the web of relationships that envelop us and our world.

Prayer for the Week (April 7, 2024-April 13, 2024)

Let us pray we be a community of faith and love: Lord our God, loving Father, we have neither seen your risen Son nor placed our hands into his side, but we believe that he is our Lord. May this faith unite us in love and help us be responsible for anyone in need and pain. May we be a community, one in heart and soul, believing, hoping, sharing, breaking bread with one another in joy, and praising you, our God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
                                                      (Claretian Publications)
                                                                                         
               

                                   

                         

Sunday Sermon April 7, 2024

Devotion April 4, 2024

Devotion April 3, 2024

Sunday Reflection (March 31, 2024)

Because of the resurrection, Paul turned from a life of violent persecution of others to a life of love, kindness, and forgiveness (1 Corinthians 15:1-11). I hope that the resurrection is more than a happy ending for you. The resurrected Christ invites us to imitate his conduct on earth: Love, humility, obedience, holiness, compassion, and forgiveness (15:47-49). Until the resurrection, God forms the Christ within us and among us. We are undergoing a gradual transformation in which the image of Christ is more perfectly formed within us and among us.
What is your response to God’s gracious gift of resurrection? May Easter be more than a happy ending! How do we live today? How do we structure society today? “May hatefulness give way to kindness, stinginess to generosity, harshness to gentleness, malice to compassion, and hatred to love (Georgios I. Mantzaridis).”

Prayer for the Week (March 31, 2024-April 6, 2024)

Let us give thanks to the Father for he has brought us life and joy through Jesus, his risen Son. God of life and of love, we rejoice today that Jesus is risen and that you continue in us the work of resurrection that lifts us above our faults and mediocrity to joy and unselfish love as we serve you in one another. Through the Holy Spirit lead us to bring hope and justice to all around us until you raise us up to share in your happiness without end. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our risen Lord. Amen.
                                                      (Claretian Publications)
                                                                                         
               

                                   

                         

Sunday Sermon March 31, 2024