Happy Easter Sunday

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Easter Sunday is one of the most festive events worldwide. It commemorates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from death. The day symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his triumph over the grave.

The holiday known around the world as Easter Sunday usually brings pleasant images, greetings, quotes, family gatherings, egg hunts, and visits from the Easter bunny.

The seven days before Easter Sunday is referred to as Holy Week, or the Passover season. These days are set aside to commemorate the brief life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

"Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Thankful and we think about the new life that we have in Jesus.

Easter Bible verses help us to meditate on the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

These verses help us to focus on the risen Christ and bring us hope for our eternal home in Heaven.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe in this?" John 11:25-26

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Co 1:18

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6:8-11

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Co 15:55-57

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isa 53:4-5

"Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died---more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:34

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and become obedient to death --- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Php 2: 5-11

Holy Week

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Holy Week is a Christian holiday that takes place on the last week of lent, and one week before Easter.

The holiday starts off with Palm Sunday (April 13), and includes Holy Thursday (April 17), Good Friday (April 18), and Holy Saturday (April 19).

Easter Sunday is on April 20, 2014. 

The Christian celebration of lent takes place 40 days before Easter, not including Sundays, and this year began on March 5, 2014 and will end on Thursday, April 17, 2014. 

Specific rituals and traditions, as well as set dates for observing lent, vary across denominations, as the Eastern Orthodox churches begins on a Monday and does not celebrate Ash Wednesday.

Just like during lent, during Holy Week, Christians typically abstain from meat and dairy, alcohol, and follow a stricter moral code.

Yesterday, April 13, is the Palm Sunday. A Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four canonical Gospels.

In many Christian churches, Palm Sunday includes a procession of the assembled worshipers carrying palms, representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem.

Here's the Gospel for today Holy Monday: 

"Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table. Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was filled with the scent of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot -- one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him-said, 'Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?'

He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contents.

So Jesus said, 'Leave her alone; let her keep it for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.'

Meanwhile a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus."

- - -  John 12:1-11

Happy New Year !

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Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

Let’s celebrate Christmas in our hearts, we have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of His love and try to keep it all the years.

Thanks God for giving me another lease of life. Thank you everyone for enriching my life this year again.

May God grant you the 9 Fruits of Holy Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)

Wishing you all a year of peace, happiness, prosperity, good health, joy and love!

May God grant us all a blessed New Year !

Enjoy our wonderful world! Cheers!!!

Procession with Palms

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Today is Palm Sunday, the final Sunday before Easter Sunday, marks the beginning of the Holy Week. Christian churches distribute palms on Palm Sunday to commemorate Christ's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed in His path, before His arrest and Crucifixion on Good Friday.  Great crowds of people thronged the streets waving palm branches to welcome Him. The people shouted "Hosanna" and laid their cloaks and palm branches from the nearby trees in His path.

Procession with Palms

Gospel: Mk 11:1-10

When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.

Untie it and bring it here. If anyone should say to you,

'Why are you doing this?' reply,

'The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once.'"

So they went off and found a colt tethered at a gate

outside on the street, and they untied it.

Some of the bystanders said to them,

"What are you doing, untying the colt?"

They answered them just as Jesus had told them to,

and they permitted them to do it.

So they brought the colt to Jesus

and put their cloaks over it. And he sat on it.

Many people spread their cloaks on the road,

and others spread leafy branches

that they had cut from the fields.

Those preceding him as well as those following kept

crying out:

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!

Hosanna in the highest!"

CHRISTMAS Special : The Meaning of the Advent Wreaths

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Most Advent wreaths use three colors – purple, pink, and white. Some nowadays may use blue in place of the purple.

Purple symbolizing repentance and fasting. It is also the color of royalty, demonstrating the anticipation and reception of the coming King celebrated during Advent. Many churches have begun to use blue instead of purple, as a means of distinguishing Advent from Lent.

Pink represents joy or rejoicing and reveals a shift in the season away from repentance and toward celebration.

White representing purity. Christ is the sinless, spotless, pure Savior. Also, those who receive Christ as Savior are washed of their sins and made whiter than snow. It is the color of the center Advent candle.

1st Candle :  Purple Candle

THE PROPHECY CANDLE or CANDLE OF HOPE

We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Our hope comes from God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:12-13)

2nd  Candle : Purple Candle

THE BETHLEHEM CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF PREPARATION

Preparation means to “get ready”. Help us to be ready to welcome You, O God! ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.‘

(Luke 3:4-6)

3rd Candle :  Pink Candle

THE SHEPHERD CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF JOY

The angels sang a message of Joy! “…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 

(Luke 2:7-15)

4th Candle :  Purple Candle

THE ANGEL CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF LOVE

The angles announced the good news of a Savior.  God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

5th Candle :  White Candle

“CHRIST CANDLE”

The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth! “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!‘” 

(John 1:29)

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.‘” 

(John 3:1-8)

10 Ways to Love According to the Bible

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Listen without interrupting  

(Proverb 18)

He who answers before he hears-- his is the folly and the shame

Speak without accusing.

(James 1:19)

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger

Give without sparing.

(Proverb 21:26)

All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.

Pray without ceasing.

(Colossians 1:9)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

Answer without arguing 

(Proverb 17:1)

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

Share without pretending

(Ephesians 4:15)

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Enjoy without complaint.

(Philippians 2:14)

Do everything without grumbling or arguing

Trust without wavering.

(Corinthians 13:7)

it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

 Forgive without punishing.

(Colossians 3:13)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Promise without forgetting

(Proverbs 13:12)

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life