ECC - AVS - By Rev. Fr. BIRUK, from Wolayita Soddo

12/02/2024

We must come to God before we can overcome our sins. Many mistakenly believe they must first fix their lives before they can have a relationship with God and become a Christian. This is not the case; God is always ready to welcome us with open arms.

I come to You, Lord, through the cleansing power of Your Son's blood. I'm so grateful for Your grace and mercy. I no longer feel ashamed, knowing that I can come to You and receive Your love, grace, and forgiveness. Thank You for the life You've given me. Amen.

08/02/2024

Timothy was a young man mentored by Paul, and two books of the Bible are named after him. He was even imprisoned for his faith in Jesus. But God is stronger than any ruler or nation, and no one can prevent Him from loving and saving us. He has proven this by rising from the dead and using even powerful opposition to carry out His purpose. So, take comfort and remain faithful to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, I recognize that I have no control over the governing of our society, but You do. Please grant us a peaceful environment where we can freely learn about Your love for us through Jesus. Amen.

07/02/2024

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
(Lk. 1:39-45)

05/02/2024

Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

Reading 1, 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13
The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,
the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,
came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant
from the City of David, which is Zion.
All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon
during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).
When all the elders of Israel had arrived,
the priests took up the ark;
they carried the ark of the LORD
and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels
that were in the tent.
(The priests and Levites carried them.)

King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
present for the occasion
sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen
too many to number or count.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets
which Moses had put there at Horeb,
when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel
at their departure from the land of Egypt.

When the priests left the holy place,
the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD's glory had filled the temple of the LORD.
Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;
I have truly built you a princely house,
a dwelling where you may abide forever."
Responsorial Psalm
PS 132:6-7, 8-10
R. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Let us enter into his dwelling,
let us worship at his footstool.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Advance, O LORD, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your majesty.
May your priests be clothed with justice;
let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.
For the sake of David your servant,
reject not the plea of your anointed.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Alleluia
See Mt 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
MK 6:53-56
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.

03/02/2024

God wants us to pursue our goals, but with gentleness and kindness. Jesus showed us divine love, healing, and restoration. Let's strive to be our best, but remember to be gentle with ourselves.
(Based on Ph. 4:5)
Dear God, help us to be kind to ourselves and to those around us as we strive to reach our goals. May we be gentle and understanding in our pursuits. Amen.

02/02/2024

SCC Small Christian Community SCC, ~50km far from the Parish

01/02/2024

27/01/2024

For those who are children of God yet deprived of education and medical care...

25/01/2024

BY AGE 40 YOU SHOULD BE SMART ENOUGH TO REALIZE THIS:

1. Someone makes 10x more than you do in a 9-5 job because they have more "leverage" with their work.

2. Distraction is the greatest killer of success. It stunts and destroys your brain.

3. You shouldn't take advice from people who are not where you want to be in life.

4. No one is coming to save your problems. Your life's 100% your responsibility.

5. You don't need 100 self-help books, all you need is action and self discipline.

6. Unless you went to college to learn a specific skill (ie. doctor, engineer, lawyer), you can make more money in the next 90 days just learning sales.

7. No one cares about you. So stop being shy, go out and create your chances.

8. If you find someone smarter than you, work with them, don't compete.

9. Smoking has 0 benefit in your life. This habit will only slow your thinking and lower your focus.

10. Comfort is the worst addiction and cheap ticket to depression.

11. Don't tell people more than they need to know, respect your privacy.

12. Avoid alcohol at all cost. Nothing worse than losing your senses and acting a fool.

13. Keep your standards high and don't settle for something because it's available.

14. The family you create is more important than the family you come from.

15. Train yourself to take nothing personally to save yourself from 99.99% of mental problems.

24/01/2024

THE TWO GREAT DANGERS OF THE DOCUMENT "FIDUCIA SUPPLICANS":

1. THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH.

2. THE DESECRATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

Two great dangers exist in this document released by the Vatican just before Christmas.

The first danger is that, the points and the explanations of the document are presented in such a confused, ambiguous, and conflicting manner, deliberately or not, that it is opened to different interpretations and arguments concerning the blessing of the same-s*x couples inside and outside the church. The practice of dioceses and parishes of blessing same-s*x couples will vary from one country to another as a result. This will cause great divisions in the church and disintegration of faith of the church teachings on homos*xuality, a disintegration of faith that may spill to other doctrines of the catholic church.

The second danger of the document is that, because of the ambiguity of of the document, same s*x couples are having the danger of interpreting the document according to their desires. When the phrase "blessing for same s*x couples" catches their eyes, it is easy for them to jump to the conclusion that the church approves their same-s*x relation as it is going to bless it. And since same-s*x couples think that the document regard their relation as normal, they may treat the document as a green light for them to go straight to receive Holy Communion, without the necessity of going to confession and having true repentance. As a result, the sacrament of Holy Eucharist will be greatly desecrated during this Christmas season and in the years to come.

23/01/2024

LA XOSSA WOSSAWU TA INTENA UBBA SHOBAYIS.
LO'ENABAYI DARRIS.
TANNARRA TASSI ISSIBASSI "XOSSAI NE WOSSA SIYOO" GERKETTI.
TA AMMANAYIS.

23/01/2024

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(Acts 2:38)
Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and God will bless you with special gifts. Beware of Satan's false promises; they may seem good but will ultimately destroy you. Trust in God's goodness and reject Satan's evil.
Let us pray,
Dear Lord, I trust that in You are all the riches I could ever need. I offer up all I have to You, so that I may be blessed with all the treasures You have in store. Like the man who sold all he had to purchase a land of wealth, I give myself wholly to You. I pledge to live a life of surrender to You. Amen.