Why We Pray for the Church: A Powerful Homily on Faith, Reverence & the Fear of God

About this sermon

Glory to Jesus Christ! In this inspiring homily, we explore the deeper meaning behind the petition “For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God…”—a prayer repeated in every Divine Liturgy but often overlooked. Using a moving story of a traveler who photographed churches across the country—some alive and thriving, others abandoned—we ask essential questions: What makes a church grow? What causes it to fade? The answer, we learn, lies not in numbers or programs, but in the spiritual life of the people within its walls. This message reflects on: Why we pray for our own church building How holiness and peace radiate from the Divine Liturgy The church as “Heaven on Earth” and a refuge from the storms of life The transformative power of faith, reverence, and the fear of God How a parish can become a “lighthouse” for those seeking authentic Christian life St. John Chrysostom’s beautiful vision of the church as a calm harbor for the soul We are reminded that the holier we become as individuals, the holier our parish becomes collectively. This homily encourages every Christian to enter church with devotion, grow in reverence, and deepen their relationship with God—so that our parish may become a truly sacred and God-pleasing place. Glory forever! 0:00 — Introduction: Glory to Jesus Christ 0:30 — Why We Pray for Peace First 0:54 — Entering Petitions About Our Church 1:12 — Why Pray for Our Own Church Building? 1:28 — Story of a Traveler & His Journey Through America’s Churches 1:48 — Discovering Why So Many Churches Closed 2:29 — Why Some Churches Thrive 2:55 — A Parish on the Chopping Block 3:04 — How Renewal Began Through Spiritual Focus 3:21 — The Power of Confession, Repentance & Study 3:37 — Becoming a Lighthouse for Others 3:44 — The Church as Heaven on Earth 4:00 — The Divine Liturgy as Illumination 4:26 — The Gladness of Holy Light 4:32 — The Church as a Haven for the Soul 4:55 — St. John Chrysostom on Entering the Temple 5:30 — Spiritual Stillness and Transformation 5:36 — The Benefit of Simply Being in Church 5:42 — How Our Presence Shapes the Atmosphere 5:50 — The Church Becoming Its Own Homily 6:04 — The Presence of God Within the Walls 6:28 — Faith, Reverence & the Fear of God 6:50 — Common Space vs. Sacred Space 7:00 — Let Us Pray for Holiness in Our Church 7:13 — Growing in Faith & Fear of God 7:26 — Bringing Hope to a Lost World 7:35 — Conclusion: Glory to Jesus Christ For more please visit https://lifegivingspringspodcast.podbean.com/ & remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest. 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶️ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶️ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶️ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶️ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶️ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 ▶️ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶️ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶️ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #OrthodoxChristianity #OrthodoxHomily #DivineLiturgy #ChristianFaith #ChurchRenewal #EasternOrthodox #Holiness #FearOfGod #ChristianSermon #Spiri

Topics

• Faith
• Prayer
• Anxiety & Worry
• Church & Fellowship
• The Church