FEAST OF SAINT PRISCA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR AND SAINT MARGARET OF HUNGARY – 18th JANUARY
January 18, 2023
FEAST OF SAINT GERMANICUS OF SMYRNA – 19th JANUARY
January 19, 2023
18 January, 2023
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials…Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:2,12
Almighty Father, we praise and worship you and glorify your Holy Name, for your righteousness and unshakable promises, which help our faith flourish in the midst of the travails of human existence. The paths of life are never smooth because the ruler of darkness is never at rest, hounding us at every opportunity, to make us lose our stability in the steadfast goodness of our ever-living God.
We are exhorted, as believers in Christ our Messiah, to hold sturdy to our beliefs in the face of stiff battles that endeavor to undermine our trust in our God. The sorrows and strife we face should deepen our faith and strengthen our endurance in the sure knowledge that we are children of a God who holds fast to his promises and never abandons us.
We are passed through the furnace of purification and sanctification, necessary to attain our eternal rewards. Only a steadfast spirit, discerning with the wisdom endowed through fortitude and perseverance, the truth of the word of God will receive the magnificent crown of life, for which he aspires. We rejoice when we come through painful experiences undefeated, in our sureness of the sufficiency of your grace and seek to stand firm in Christ and hold fast to the promises of our Father for our eternal benefit and for your greater glory and honor, through Christ our Lord. Amen
