June Birthdays at St. E's ~ Provided by Ethel Cooley

06/03 ~ Joyce Coy

06/04 ~ Howard Braxton

06/05 ~ Ernest Ponton

06/06 ~ Vince Neylan

06/07 ~ AndiSymone Nero

06/08 ~ Angela (Julia) Gilbert

06/10 ~ Larry Williford

06/11 ~ Jonelle Nero and Mary Threadgill

06/13 ~ Traven Carter

06/16 ~ Barbara Williford

06/17 ~ Lord (Senon) Davis, Jr.

06/18 ~ Angela (Eva)(Hall) Cotman

06/20 ~ Keira Beverly

06/21 ~ Thomas Brown and Sierra Green

06/24 ~ Scott Stell

06/26 ~ Wekongho Chita

06/29 ~ Chanda Kim Ford

The Driving Wind ~ A Reflection on Pentecost 2012

Pentecost

Acts 2:1-11

Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

Gal 5:16-26

Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15

The driving wind brought change to the lives of the Apostles and those others gathered in the upper room.  It was the first sign that no longer would they live in fear of the future.  As tongues like fire rested on each of them, the Holy Spirit filled them with the zeal and desire to spread the word of Jesus' Resurrection and the Kingdom of God to all the world.

 How wonderful it must have been for the disciples to realize that their words could be understood by all the peoples gathered in Jerusalem that day.  There was no need for a translator...  The Lord was making it possible for everyone to hear and understand the Word.  These Words were for everyone... for the multitudes to hear and believe.  Many must have received those Words with joy that day.  It was a beginning.

The importance of the arrival of the Holy Spirit cannot be underestimated.  In John's Gospel, Jesus recognized that the apostles could not bear to hear all that he wanted to tell them.  Probably they were still overwhelmed that Jesus could appear to them as a real person and not as a ghost.  And then, of a sudden, Jesus ascends to his Father and leaves behind frightened disciples who could not yet understand what they must do.

We thank you, Jesus, for your promise to send "the Spirit of truth" who would guide the disciples and declare to them all that comes from the Father and the Son.  Paul tells the Christians of Galatia that they are to "live by the Spirit" ... To be guided by the Spirit and to put away the things of the flesh because the Spirit and the flesh are not compatible.  To live in the Spirit allows one to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit:  that is, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  These are the signs of a Christian life...  and this is how we also are to live.

Christianity has spread to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus promised and it began with the example of those foreigners in Jerusalem who heard what the Apostles spoke and marveled that they could understand them in their own tongues.

We respond today with the words of Psalm 104:  "Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."    



 ~ Pentecost (Detail) by El Greco, 1610 at Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

There's work to be done! ~ Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord ~ Women's Day 2012

The Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11

Ps 47:2-3,6-7,8-9

Eph 1:17-23

Mk 16:15-20

"What are you standing there for?  There's work to be done!"  Ms Carol Dufresne, our speaker for St. Elizabeth's 20th Annual Women's Day, spoke about the Ascension of the Lord in terms of what was to come next!  We generally think of the Ascension by picturing a glorified Jesus rising and the apostles gazing skyward, watching.  But there is more to the story than that.

The angels in white understood it, even though the apostles were still overcome by what they had just witnessed.  Had they forgotten that Jesus told them he would have to leave them in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit?  The apostles needed the power and understanding that the Spirit would impart to them so that they could be Jesus' witnesses in preaching about the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth.

Carol reminded us that Jesus had thus passed the baton to the apostles; and from them and their successors down to the present day to us.  By virtue of our baptism, WE are to continue the work of Jesus.  We are to relieve the pain and injustice in the world.  All of us have a part to play.  It requires teamwork and that we do the best we can in our particular roles.  Only if we work together in the spirit of Jesus can we be the witnesses that he wishes us to be.

We ask the Father to give us a Spirit of wisdom and to enlighten us in such a way that we recognize the hope that belongs to his call... that we believers also become the inheritors of his Kingdom.


 ~ The Ascension of Jesus by Harry Anderson
 

No Greater Love ~ Mothers' Day ~ Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

1 Jn 4:7-10

Jn 15:9-17

We are reminded once again in John's gospel that it was love that caused the Father to send His Son to free us from our sins.  It was the Son's sacrificial death on the cross that showed the depths that Love can take.  Jesus wants us to follow His example... to walk in His footsteps, to keep His commandment so that His joy "may be in you and your joy might be complete."(Jn 15:11)  And what is that commandment?  None other than:  "...love one another as I love you." (Jn 15:17)  This kind of love is so great and so unselfish that a person would be willing to lay down their life for another!  Just as Jesus did for us.

This is a tall order and not as easy as it appears.  An unselfish love means that one is willing to give up one's own aspirations in order that another's needs can be met.  An unselfish love also promotes unity among people despite their differences.  Love also emphasizes equality among people...  Jesus was very clear in saying that we can no longer be called slaves who do not know what their master is doing.  No, Jesus calls us His friends because:  "I have told you everything I have heard from my Father."  (Jn 15:15)  Jesus gave this gift to His disciples even though they did not yet understand everything implied in the telling.

Did they understand that Love is THE attribute for God?  John tells us that in his first letter.  If you love, you know God.  If you are unable to love, you cannot know who God is...  So the big question becomes: How does one learn to love?

Mothers' Day 2012 Photos on Facebook!

Many thanks to Ethel Cooley for placing these photos on Facebook!


St. Elizabeth Facebook page

Pruning the Vine ~ Fifth Sunday of Easter (B)

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 9:26-31

Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

1 Jn 3:18-24

Jn 15:1-8

This week's readings speak to us about conversion.  As we study these readings, we discover that there is a process that takes place before, during and after a person experiences a conversion. This process requires trust in God and a developing relationship with Him.  It also appears to include the acceptance of the community of believers.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we meet up with Saul, who has just had a life-changing event that turned him from a persecutor of Christians to a man completely dedicated to the Risen Christ.  However, Saul soon found out that the Christians in Jerusalem were afraid of him.  They knew Saul to be a persecutor and did not trust him.  Not until Barnabas spoke up for him and explained what had happened to Saul on the road to Damascus, did the Christians of Jerusalem accept him.  Thus we note that conversion is not a solitary event in one's life.  One's conversion must also be recognized by the community of believers in order to bear fruit.

In today's Gospel reading from John, we hear Jesus speak of himself as the vine.  We, the believers, are the branches of that vine; connected to Jesus in such a way that we must bear fruit.  The Father is the vine grower who prunes away the useless and dead branches.  That is what happens to us if we are truly converted and ready to bear fruit.  We become so connected to the vine and the grower that we cannot bear fruit apart from them.  When we remain in Christ and live His words, we bear the fruit that makes us His disciples.  This is what happened to Paul, formerly Saul.  His life in Christ changed him so much that he put away his old name and took a new one.  Saul left his old life behind...  to become the Apostle to the Gentiles.

To remain in Christ, we are to keep His commandments.  "And his commandment is this:  we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us."  (1 Jn 3:23)           

May Birthdays at St. E's ~ provided by Ethel Cooley

05/01 ~ Sabrina Thompson

05/04 ~ Samuel Walker

05/08 ~ Chansay and Kenise Ford, Jerimah Henderson

05/09 ~ Betty Alexis

05/11 ~ Robert Fitzgerald, Sr. and Annella Kaine

05/17 ~ Ya-Sin Miller and Gwendolyn Woodruff

05/18 ~ Sr. Maureen Carroll

05/19 ~ Anitra Green and Jackie Hall

05/20 ~ Maeola Strother

05/23 ~ Danielle Smith

05/26 ~ Robert Fitzgerald, Jr.

05/29 ~ Robert Shannon

Reflections on the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday) ~ by Phyllis Booth

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:8-12

Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

1 Jn 3:1-2

Jn 10:11-18

Today's first reading finds Peter explaining why the crippled man is cured.  The crowd still finds it hard to believe that Jesus Christ, the Nazorean, has been raised by God from the dead and by his name the cripple is healed.  Centuries later many people find this revelation hard to believe, though we believe many of today's schemes that will cause us to lose our health, wealth or life.  In today's time, we are fascinated by the Internet and other digital devices and we take chances to get rich, pay less for items, to meet people for friendship, romance or marriage or for a career change without seeing the person/product and still we can't believe in Jesus Christ and his love.

The Gospel of John tells that we are Children of God and God loves us as his own.  The world doesn't believe that we are children of God.  Is it because God is invisible to the human race?  He doesn't talk to us... we can't touch, smell or hear him?

Yet we believe in man's ability to think, create, improve inventions and even explore the universe and we are still searching for the one who can give life, restore life and give peace to the world.  John implies that when it is revealed to us, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

The Gospel Reading reminds us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  A shepherd will lay down his life for his sheep (family and friends).  Jesus accepted the command from his Father to be the Good Shepherd for the world.  Jesus died so the world could be free of sin.  He was a servant shepherd.  He came into this world to be a servant, not a King.  During his ministry he taught the disciples how to serve and not be served.  As baptized Christians we are expected to live our baptism vows to love others as we love ourselves, to be a servant shepherd.

A servant shepherd will follow Jesus' example in the home, community and church/parish.

A servant shepherd lives his moral and Christian beliefs.

A servant shepherd takes an active interest in the welfare of his parish/church family and community.

A servant shepherd accepts cultural differences (diversity) and encourages others to do the same.

A servant shepherd preserves his/her health through healthy nutrition and exercise.

A servant shepherd strives to attain the highest spiritual education of his faith.

A servant shepherd's journey is not easy.  He accepts the toils and crosses of life that lead to everlasting life.with the Father.


 ~ Rescue of the Lost Lamb by Minerva Teichert