On Sunday, November 10th, 2024, His Eminence Mor Dionysius John Kawak celebrated the Holy Liturgy assisted by Fr. Alan Shaltan at St. Athanasius Church in Tarpon Springs, Florida. During the Holy Liturgy, His Eminence delivered a sermon about “Renewal in Christianity Between the Old and New Testaments.”
He mentioned that renewal means making something new again, and it’s an important part of the Bible. In the Old Testament, God calls His people to change their hearts and come back to Him. He gave the example how in Ezekiel 36:26, God promises to give His people a “new heart” and a “new spirit” to help them live better lives, and this is about changing from the inside, not just on the outside.
His Eminence shared a few points on how we can we live this renewal every day.
Repentance and Confession: We can ask God to forgive us for our sins. As John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us and make us clean.”
Reading the Bible: God’s Word helps us grow stronger. When we read the Bible, it changes the way we think and helps us follow God’s plan for us.
Living Like Jesus: Renewal means treating others with love and kindness. Jesus taught us to forgive and care for each other, just like He does for us.
Taking Part in the Sacraments: When we take part in the Church’s sacraments, like Communion, we receive new strength to live as Christians.
He concluded by reminded the faithful that renewal is a journey that we keep going on every day. It’s not just a one-time thing. Every day, we can ask Jesus to help us grow and become better people, more like Him, and to remember, God is always working in us to help us be “new creations” in Christ.
