This year, 2024, has been declared by Pope Francis a year of prayer. Prayer is the centre of our Christian life. Prayer also helps to connect us with the whole world, which is going through tremendous hardships due to war, poverty, and misery. Our Founder, too, wanted prayer to be the cornerstone of our lives as Holy Family Sisters. Complying with the wishes of the Pope, we are all joining in this year of prayer, together with Laity as they are engaged with different groups.
The Bible is the centre of our Christian faith; therefore, we endeavoured to make Bible Week meaningful, together with the laity, including the school children.
Below is a description of how the Week was celebrated in the parish and in the school.
On 28th January 2024, Bible Week at St. Joseph’s Convent, Kohat was celebrated with the Christian children in the school and parish. It was a great event, calling for our efforts to instill in the children a love for the Bible. The deeper meaning of the word of God and its implementation in life were very much appreciated by all. The Bible is not an ordinary book like the text books, it is a life-giving source for all.
The children were well prepared with clear instructions from the Word of God. The hall where the event took place was beautifully and meaningfully decorated with lighted lamps, indicating that the Word of God is light for our life’s journey. Each child carried a bible with a lighted lamp and entered the hall very solemnly, singing the hymn in Urdu, ‘Your word is a light to my path”.
The ceremony started with the lighting of the lamp by sister Angelina, the Principal of the school. She also gave a very meaningful and effective talk on the Word of God. She explained the three important words: faith, service, and witness, because they are the core values of our Christian life:
Faith: Faith is the foundation of our Christian life. It is trust and belief in the only One God, his beloved Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Through reading the Word of God, we know God loves us and has a plan for us. During this year, we are encouraged to deepen our faith through prayer, reading of the Bible, reciting the rosary, coming every Sunday for Mass, and receiving the sacraments.
Service: We are followers of Jesus. Jesus’ whole life was for others till the last breath. So service is seen in our faith in action, especially through our good works, feelings, and being with others. This aspect is open for the other church activities too. You children put them into practice; you are already taking part in the service of altar boys and girls, the Holy Family Children, the Holy Family Rosary Group, the church choir, and catechism classes. Do your best with all your capability.
Witness: witness is what you believe, and it becomes your evidence of faith through words, deeds, and actions. These will definitely attract others to trust in Jesus and his teaching. During the year of prayer, help all the members of the Church to be witnesses of faith by living like Christ and sharing your faith with others.”
She also stressed the need to become familiar with the word of God so that our lives would be transformed. Since we are surrounded by a majority of Muslims, our lives have to speak deeply of the Word of God. We must “walk the talk”.
At the end of her address, the children performed a beautiful tableau on the Word of God.
We have also organized different activities this year with all the classes in order to make our children’s faith strong, as we face a lot of challenges as Christians. I feel it is our inmost duty to make every effort to be a sign and leaven of our presence to spread the Word of God wherever we are.
Sr. Angelina Sohan
Pakistan
