Hon. Erastus Ekitela Lokaale

Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim brothers and sisters!

Good morning my dear friends!

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter.

FIRST READING

ACTS 4:32-35

32Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.
33And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

2Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
3Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
4Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."

13I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,

22The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

SECOND READING

1 JOHN 5:1-6

1Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.
2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.
5Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood.

GOSPEL

JOHN 20:19-31

19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
24Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
26Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."
28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY AND WEEK AHEAD. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Yesterday, members of the Secretariat for South Sudan Mediation Process joined the Foreign Affairs PS Dr. Korir Sing’oei and H.E. President William Ruto’s Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region Hon. Charles Keter in welcoming the Chief Mediator Lt. General (Rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiywo and Assistant Mediator Amb. Dr. Mohamed Guyo. Lt. Gen. Sumbeiywo and Amb. Guyo are both seasoned mediators who will lead the talks between the Revitalized Transitional Government of South Sudan and South Sudan opposition parties.

Their Excellencies were instrumental during negotiations that led to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan and South Sudan in 2005. Congratulations, Your Excellencies.

Good morning, my dear friends!

Today is EASTER SUNDAY (Solemnity)

FIRST READING
ACTS 10:34, 37-43

34And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, 37the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; 41not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

1O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!
2Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
16the right hand of the LORD is exalted, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"
17I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
22The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

SECOND READING

COLOSSIANS 3:1-4

1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
3For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

GOSPEL
JOHN 20:1-9

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 4They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 5and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

Have a Happy Easter Sunday. God bless you all!

Had a fruitful meeting with H.E. Zhang Zhizhong, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi to discuss partnership with the Secretariat for the South Sudan Mediation Process which will be hosted by H.E. President .

Good morning my dear friends,

Today is Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

First Reading

ISAIAH 50:4-7

4The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward.

6I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

7For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24

7All who see me mock at me, they make mouths at me, they wag their heads; 8"He committed his cause to the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, for he delights in him!" 16Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet -- 17I can count all my bones -- they stare and gloat over me; 18they divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots. 19But thou, O LORD, be not far off! O thou my help, hasten to my aid! 22I will tell of thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee: 23You who fear the LORD, praise him! all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

SECOND READING

PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11

6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

GOSPEL

MARK 14:1--15:47

14 1It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth, and kill him; 2for they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be a tumult of the people." 3And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the l***r, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment thus wasted? 5For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." And they reproached her. 6But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. 9And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." 10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. 12And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?" 13And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14and wherever he enters, say to the householder, `The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?' 15And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us." 16And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover. 17And when it was evening he came with the twelve. 18And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." 19They began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one after another, "Is it I?" 20He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21For the Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." 22And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." 23And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." 26And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away; for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' 28But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." 29Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not." 30And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the c**k crows twice, you will deny me three times." 31But he said vehemently, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same. 32And they went to a place which was called Gethsem'ane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray." 33And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch." 35And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt." 37And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 39And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer him. 41And he came the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand." 43And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him and lead him away under guard." 45And when he came, he went up to him at once, and said, "Master!" And he kissed him. 46And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled." 50And they all forsook him, and fled. 51And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body; and they seized him, 52but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked. 53And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled. 54And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, and warming himself at the fire. 55Now the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. 56For many bore false witness against him, and their witness did not agree. 57And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58"We heard him say, `I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" 59Yet not even so did their testimony agree. 60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" 61But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" 62And Jesus said, "I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." 63And the high priest tore his garments, and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? 64You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards received him with blows. 66And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the maids of the high priest came; 67and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, "You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus." 68But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you mean." And he went out into the gateway. 69And the maid saw him, and began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." 70But again he denied it. And after a little while again the bystanders said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean." 71But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak." 72And immediately the c**k crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the c**k crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept. 15 1And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. 2And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." 3And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4And Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you." 5But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate wondered. 6Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barab'bas. 8And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he was wont to do for them. 9And he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 10For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barab'bas instead. 12And Pilate again said to them, "Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?" 13And they cried out again, "Crucify him." 14And Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him." 15So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barab'bas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 16And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the praetorium); and they called together the whole battalion. 17And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on him. 18And they began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19And they struck his head with a reed, and spat upon him, and they knelt down in homage to him. 20And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. 21And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22And they brought him to the place called Gol'gotha (which means the place of a skull). 23And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. 26And the inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." 27And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. 33And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "E'lo-i, E'lo-i, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 35And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Eli'jah." 36And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Eli'jah will come to take him down." 37And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" 40There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salo'me, 41who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. 42And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathe'a, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. 46And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47Mary Mag'dalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

South Sudan and Kenya are sisterly nations that share deep social, cultural, economic, political and other ties. The peoples of the two countries are one and the same people. This is the reason that the Government of Kenya is working with all stakeholders towards peace, stability and development in South Sudan.

Yesterday, the Coordination Unit of the South Sudan Peace Mediation Process joined the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Korir Sing’oei, in briefing development partners from the Embassies of US, UK, Norway, Canada, China, Japan and IGAD on preparations for the mediation talks in Kenya.

Good morning, my dear friends!

Today is the Fifth Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING

JEREMIAH 31:31-34

31"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD.
33But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 51:3-4, 12-15

1Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee.

SECOND READING

HEBREWS 5:7-9

7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. 8Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

GOSPEL

JOHN 12:20-33

20Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-sa'ida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
22Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.
24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.
27"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
29The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
30Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
31Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; 32and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
33He said this to show by what death he was to die.

HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY AND WEEK AHEAD!

GOD BLESS YOU

Ramadan Kareem ndugu zangu!

Good morning, dear friends!

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING

2 CHRONICLES 36:14-17, 19-23

14All the leading priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

15The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place; 16but they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, till the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, till there was no remedy.

17Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chalde'ans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged; he gave them all into his hand.

19And they burned the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels. 20He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfil seventy years.

22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 23"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, `The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.'"

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 137:1-6

1By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
2On the willows there we hung up our lyres.
3For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?
5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
6Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!

SECOND READING

EPHESIANS 2:4-10

4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God -- 9not because of works, lest any man should boast.
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

GOSPEL

JOHN 3:14-21

14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." 16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
18He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

Have a Blessed Sunday and week ahead!

God bless you!