February Birthdays at St. E's! ~ Ethel Cooley

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!




02/01 ~ Ann Holton Kaine

02/02 ~ Lauren Cotman & Genelle Frizzelle

02/03 ~ Elizabeth Ruffin & Jennifer Soistman

02/04 ~ Jennie Green

02/06 ~ Cathy Woodson

02/07 ~ Eva Chiles

02/09 ~ Thomas Smith

02/10 ~ Amy Williford

02/11 ~ Sr. Cora Marie Billings

02/15 ~ Kenneth Williams

02/17 ~ Alexandra Williams

02/23 ~ Katrinia Murray & Berhane Desta

02/24 ~ Hanna Desta

02/25 ~ Stanley Glover & Tyronna Jones

02/26 ~ Gov. Tim Kaine


~ God answers "knee mail"! ~
Author Unknown

Graphics by Webweaver

Begin Your Lenten Journey With A Retreat ~ by Cathy Woodson

Begin your Lenten Journey with a retreat led by Fr. Maurice Nutt on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. There will be light refreshments at 1:30 p.m. and the retreat will be from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Fr. Nutt states: "There is a Word from the Lord for our present times. God's Word is forever real and relevant. I have a passion for preaching! I am committed to bringing God's people to a deeper relationship with the Holy One through the preached Word. Faith comes from hearing... 'and how can they hear about Him unless there is someone to preach?' (Romans 10:14). As a Redemptorist priest, I seek to preach the Good News as Good News." *

* Taken from Fr. Maurice Nutt's Website:
http://www.fathermaurice.com/

Preparing for Lent 2008

Lent arrives next week, February 6th, with the Ash Wednesday Liturgy and the distribution of ashes. These ashes signify remorse, repentance and mourning; and are generally gathered from burning the previous year's palm fronds used during the Palm Sunday celebration.

Placing ashes on one's forehead is an Old Testament custom and biblical examples of this can be found in 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1-3, Job 42:6, and Jeremiah 6:26.

Our theme this Lenten season will be:

"Lord, renew and transform your people."

In order to help us accomplish this renewal and transformation in our lives, we will be encouraged to read and meditate on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5-7 ~ The Sermon on the Mount.

As you read through these chapters, there will surely be a passage that will have special meaning for you during this Lenten season. Take the time to write this passage or even a single word on a slip of paper. Use the passage or word to concentrate on during Lent, in light of our theme, "Lord, renew and transform your people." During Holy Week, we will use those slips of paper as symbols of our transformation and renewal.

There will be other opportunities for you to draw closer to Our Lord's journey toward the Cross. After the Wednesday Mass, meditations on the Stations of the Cross will be recited. These Stations depict the final hours of Jesus and were originated by Francis of Assisi and extended to the entire Church during the Middle Ages.

On Sunday afternoon, February 10th from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m., Fr. Maurice Nutt will lead a Retreat for our parishioners at St. Elizabeth's.

Finally, at noon on Saturday, March 1st, there will be a Reconciliation Service held at St. John Catholic Church in Highland Springs for our cluster of parishes.


~ Christian Graphics courtesy of Crystal Cloud Graphics

Benediction Returns on the First Sunday of February

Beginning next Sunday, February 3rd, Fr. Andrew will again be offering Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to our people on the first Sunday of each month. This special devotion to the mystery of Jesus' presence in the Holy Eucharist will take place at the end of the Sunday Mass.

If you missed the original blog article about the history of Benediction, please click the following link:

http://stelizabethcc.blogspot.com/2007/07/benediction-adoration-and-blessing-with.html

The ritual for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is as follows:

1. The priest places the consecrated Host in a monstrance so that it can be viewed by the people for adoration. See the picture above.

2. At this time, a hymn of praise, such as the Latin or English version of Pange Lingua is sung as the priest incenses the Blessed Sacrament. This is a time of adoration, where the people pray quietly in order to come in closer spiritual communion with the Lord.

3. At the end of the period of adoration, the priest again incenses the Blessed Sacrament as the hymn of praise, the Tantum Ergo in Latin or English, is sung.

4. The priest then puts on the humeral veil, which is a special white rectangular cloth worn so as to cover the back and shoulders of the priest. Its two ends hang down in front and are used to hold the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. To prevent its falling from the shoulders, the humeral veil is fastened with clasps or ribbons attached to the border. The use of this article probably dates back to the end of the Middle Ages.

5. The priest then blesses the people with the Blessed Sacrament, making the sign of the cross with the monstrance. After the blessing, the priest returns the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle.

6. There can be a concluding hymn at the end of the service.


~ Image by Two Hearts Design

"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand" ~ by Ronnie Archer

In today's Gospel reading of Matthew, we learn that Jesus recognized that it was time for His public ministry to begin... and so it did, near the town of Capernaum in Galilee. It began there because it was a place where there was a need.

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw the two brothers, Simon and Andrew, who were fishermen, casting their nets into the sea. He told them to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men. They recognized it as their call from God; they left their nets, and immediately followed.

We have to have a desire to know God... if we don't, then we cannot hear or understand God's call. We will accomplish great things if we hear and take heed to His call.

Christ came with a mission to dispel the darkness of our lives, to remove the clouds of doubt, so we can see the light. Christ did this by His Word. We need to listen and really hear the Good News to help dispel our darkness.

We have to experience darkness before we will know the need for Christ's light. If we never know darkness, then we won't realize a need for that light.

Christ commands us to repent. The first thing to do in repenting is to forgive the past, and then we can go forward to the future.

Whatever obstacles there are in our lives will be removed by God, if we have the desire to serve Him.


~ Third Sunday in Ordinary Time ~

~ Image by Hermano Leon Clipart

Behold the Lamb of God ~ by Phyllis Booth

In the first reading today, Isaiah speaks of God's promise to restore Israel to its former glory through a servant of God. This servant will be the one who said, "I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul knew what he was and what he had done. He realized others knew what and who he was also. Therefore Paul preached that his holiness came through someone God had chosen, to bestow the light of God's love upon him. Paul encouraged the church of Corinth to continue to be holy and sanctified, to pass the light of salvation to others who believed in Christ Jesus. This light of holiness has lived through the centuries and the church today is considered holy also.

John the Baptist in today's Gospel reading says twice: "I knew not who he was!" Yet John said when he saw Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me!'"

Although John was a servant of God, his idea of the Messiah's role wasn't one of a servant. John didn't understand Jesus' mission. Jesus came to free us from the burden of sin. His mission was to help sinners to understand God's desire for all people to live freely and to love God. Jesus came down from heaven to serve; not to be served. As a Christian today, it is my duty to serve others and live a holy life because (God) Christ lives in you and me. Christ living in me causes me to forgive, to love, to share and to serve others.

Do we see the presence of God in ourselves or others? We must recognize God in others and serve them so the light of holiness given at Baptism will continue to shine. When the Spirit of God dwells in us, we recognize God in others and we become the simple and humble servant, carrying out God's promise of salvation.


~ Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~

A Reflection on Eucharistic Prayer III

"Father, you are holy indeed, and all creation rightly gives you praise. All life, all holiness comes from you through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, by the working of the Holy Spirit. From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name..."



Yesterday for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, our priest selected Eucharistic Prayer III, a portion of which surely expresses some of the most beautiful sentiments of any of the four Eucharistic Prayers. One cannot help but pray with our whole heart and mind and being, these beautiful and poetic words. Along with our priest who stands in the place of Christ for us, we offer our gifts of bread and wine; and our very lives to our Heavenly Father. We surely can do no less, in our thankfulness for all he has done for us.

"From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name..."

These words can only bring to mind, the 2000 year history of the Eucharist, during which period, some form of the command of our Lord has been celebrated. "Do this in memory of me," Jesus said. Whether in the catacombs or on the battlefield; in prison or among friends; in a magnificent cathedral or a simple country church, this command has been honored.

From east to west... all over the world, in every language, by every race of peoples, at any given moment in the day, this liturgy is being celebrated. Our God gathers his people to himself.

We, as the parish community of St. Elizabeth, are those same People of God; called to be holy, called to gather in his name, and called to make this perfect offering in his memory.

The Baptism of Our Lord ~ by Ronnie Archer

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

Today, we are invited to celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. Jesus Christ is a SON. This is the first time that God recognized before everyone that Jesus Christ is THE SON.

Some might wonder why did Jesus have to be baptized? Baptism is the extension of our family life. By our baptism, we are adopted as children of God. When a person is adopted, he/she receives the same benefits, and is equal to any child that is physically born into a family. They have the same rights.

Jesus Christ came down to us to serve; not to be served. Often we cannot recognize GOD because we are looking for Him in "high places." We should look for Him in simplicity.

Jesus' final desire was to have His people go out and baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. We are to go and fulfill this desire of Jesus Christ.

All of the other Sacraments have a condition; that is, Baptism is required BEFORE they can be received. Since Baptism is the first Sacrament, it is the only Sacrament that gives us this gift. We are called to share this gift of Baptism, because through HIS Baptism, Jesus opened heaven for us.

We can rejoice in this day because God granted us the gift to be the children of God.

A Reflection on the Eucharistic Prayer II

"We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you."

Again, I heard and prayed these words from Eucharistic Prayer II that our priest had selected for Wednesday's Mass. Every time I hear those words, I am reminded that our God has raised us up and has given us dignity as human beings and "People of God." Though he is King and Lord, God does not require that his creatures cower at his feet.

Instead, what God wishes from his people is that we love and serve him. Just as we stand and offer, in union with our priest, "this life-giving bread, this saving cup" in memory of Jesus' death and resurrection, we offer ourselves to our God's service also.

To serve him, means serving our brothers and sisters around us, in our families, in our parish family, in our community and in our world. This is how we pay homage to our God and thank him for all he has done for us.

Everyone knows that this is not easy. We place many stumbling blocks in our way. It is so easy to be complacent... to let someone else do God's work in the world. It is easy to "talk the talk" but not so easy to "walk the walk." But Jesus did it...

Wherever the poor, the sick, the dying, the outcasts, the hurting people were... that's where you found Jesus. The people felt his caring touch as they reached out to him. He not only healed their bodies, but their hearts also. They listened to his words of hope that their God loved them with a tender and everlasting love; and they rejoiced.

Many years ago, I came across a beautiful definition of being a Christian. We are people who must "serve others; without limits, forever." This sounds like a daunting task; but not if you take one step at a time... one day at a time... We simply need to begin.

We pray God to allow his Spirit to move within us, so that we can reach out to others to truly become part of God's Presence in the world.

Epiphany ~ Being a Light to Others ~ by Cathy Woodson

We are called to be the goodness of the Lord, a light for those walking in darkness...we are the light of Christ. We meet Christ in the Word and in Eucharist. We are given a message through the Word.

Just as the Kings started in search, we too are sometimes searching and others are searching for the love of Christ. The Kings, carrying gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, followed the light of a star, which led them to God's love. The gifts symbolized security in God's love (gold), the living sacrifice (frankincense) and the death and resurrection (myrrh). We are called to bear witness just as the Kings. After experiencing and meeting Christ, the Kings were different than before; they returned to their country of origin bearing witness and filled with the light of Christ.

As we meet Christ, we become different people and a light to others. When we seek Christ, we know we are the light and goodness of Christ that can unite the world in love, peace and respect for all. Thanks be to God for the good news of the Feast of the Epiphany!


~ January 6, 2008, Epiphany of the Lord ~

Christmas Eve Children's Concert Pictures Anyone?

If anyone has pictures of the children performing at the Christmas Eve 2007 Children's Concert at St. E's, please send them to me. I would like to place them on the blog. Below, you will see four-year-old Lyric Weston singing Silent Night.