PASTOR'S MESSAGE
Beloved in the Lord,
Our Lent 2025 theme is, “Credo: Living by Faith.” Credo is a Latin word which means, "I believe." These are the first words of the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.
This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed. During Sunday Holy Mass, was we profess it together, we are reminded that Christian discipleship is experienced within the context of the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ.
.
The Council of Nicaea met in 325 AD in response to a controversy about our faith in Jesus. Some Christians began to follow a priest named Arius, who denied that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. The Council of Nicaea affirmed that the Lord Jesus is the eternal Son of God who existed before time began. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born within time, sharing in our human nature without loss of His divine nature.
Why is this important? If the Lord Jesus Christ did not have a divine nature, then there is no salvation. Only God can save us.
The ancient Christian symbol of a fish was used to proclaim our convictions about the identity and mission of the Anointed One. The letters of the Greek word for "fish" are used as an acronym: Jesus Christ is God the Son and our Savior.
My preaching series is about practical ways in which we practice the faith that we profess. What we believe and why we believe it matters! Amid life's countless changes we trust in the unchanging love and mercy of God. Amid life's uncertainties, we have the certainty that our faith in God is never in vain.
We are preparing to renew our baptismal promises on Easter. The disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the tools that our Lord has taught us to employ (cf. Matthew 6:1-18).
Growing as disciples of Christ within His Church is a lifelong process. Take advantage of the opportunities to observe a holy Lent at HFC.
Father Raymond Harris
Pastor
PREACHING SERIES
LENT I
March 8 & 9
God has created us.
God is Sovereign, who is the source of our lives and sustains us throughout our lives. Created in God's image, human beings are the crown of God's creation. Sin against God wounded our humanity. God provides the solution to heal us.
LENT II
March 15 & 16
God is redeeming us.
The soultion that God provides is the gift of the eternal Son of God sharing in our humanity in all things but sin. How do we receive this healing remedy? Listen to Jesus and learn how to live in union with Him.
LENT III
March 22 & 23
God is sanctifying us.
Those who live in union with Jesus cannot take the gift of God dwelling within us for granted. We live by conviction and not by chance.
LENT IV
March 29 & 30
God gathers us into His Church.
Those who live in union with Jesus also live in communion with His Church. When someone has returned to Christ and His Church after going astray, we provide an authentic welcome because we love like Jesus.
LENT V
April 5 & 6
God raises us to new life.
Some scribes and Pharisees wanted to entrap Jesus. They used a woman caught in adultery for their scheme. They lacked integrity although they appeared to be pious. The woman and man in the adulterous relationship lacked integrity. All of them were entrapped. Salvation in Chrst restores our integrity and raises us to new life.