THE CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL & ST. PETER
A mother is special; she's more than a friend.
Whenever you need her, she'll give you a hand.
She'll lead you and guide you in all that you do,
Try all that she can just to see you get through.
Good times and bad times, she's there for it all.
Say head up, be proud, and always stand tall.
She'll love you through quarrels and even big fights,
or heart-to-heart chats on cold lonely nights.
My mother's the greatest that I've ever known.
I think God made my mother like He'd make his own.
A praiser, a helper, an encourager too,
nothing in this world that she wouldn't do.
To help us succeed, she does all that she can,
raised a young boy now into a man.
I want to say thank you for all that you do.
Please always know, Mom, that I love you. May 9-10, 2020 ==================================================================================
FAITH SHARING HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOMS IN OUR LIFE FAITH SHARING: The readings for May 10th, the Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 6:1-7, 36-41; 1 Peter 2:4-9 and John 14:1-12. Jesus brings words of hope and encouragement in today’s Gospel. He assured his disciples that there is more work for them to do. Jesus says, “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” The work of God the Father was also his work, and because he is ascending into heaven, it is now our work. We all must keep doing good works to carry on the mission of Jesus. What kind of good works is Jesus calling you to do? REGISTRATIONS for next year have been mailed out. If you did not receive a packet email Bonnie Barker and give her your name and address and a packet will be sent out. Please complete and return in the envelope provided. We are planning for the fall and being back together again. Register early and save!
============== Bonnie and Stephanie continue to pray for you as we journey
through the Easter season. We are looking forward to the day we can gather together and celebrate as a parish family.
Blessings on everyone.
Fifth Sunday of Easter
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” How will
you manifest your discipleship? Consider bringing
others to the Lord as a priest, deacon, sister or brother.
Call Father Jason Hage (315) 470-1468 or
GOSPEL THIS WEEK
Sunday, May 10 – Jn 14:1-12
Monday, May 11 – Jn 14:21-26
Tuesday, May 12 – Jn14:27-31a
Wednesday, May 13 – Jn 15:1-8
Thursday, May 14 – Jn 15:9-17
Friday, May 15 – Jn 15:12-17
Saturday, May 16 – Jn 15:18-21
Sunday, May 17 – Jn 14:15-21
Psalter: Week I, page 37
BREAVEMENT: Please remember Owen (Jack) Mulholland, Father of Michael (Natalie)
Mulholland, Helen Henri, mother of Michele Henri Gagne and Scott R. Dean, husband of Susan (Tiss)
Dean who passed away this week and all family and friends who have passed away this month.
May they rest in peace.
HAITI Please keep the people of our Twin Parish in your
prayers. Father Raymond sent this update on April
29: ‘In Haiti, they have already discovered 76 cases
of the coronavirus and 6 people have died. The
government has demanded all people stay home
until a new order. We have not yet found a case of
coronavirus in Chauffard. We give thanks to God.
The Chauffard church is not closed. Each Sunday,
there is always mass with a number less than the
whole. We profit from this by motivating the people
on the ways to behave during this sickness. A
thousand thanks for your prayers. We are also
praying for you. Take courage, and may God
continue to bless, protect and guard you.’
Thank you to all those who continue to support our church!
We still need and are grateful for your support! Please drop off your donation at the rectory or send your gift
through the mail or use electronic giving. You can now go to the web page and sign-up for e-giving at
www.stmichael-stpeter.org
Collection week of May 3-4 $5,185.00
WORD OF LIFE
“O Blessed Mother, you received the good news of
the incarnation of Christ, your Son, with faith and
trust. Grant your protection to all pregnant mothers
facing difficulties.
FOR THOSE SICK & CONVALESCING
Michael Sopchak, Nancy Bush, Fred Mangine,
Jaqueline Steele, Thomas Aloi, Kimberly Schoemann,
Donald & Ernest Fenner, Lynn Gravina, Mary Caputo,
Joan Kraus, Chris Jones, Michael Mancuso, John
Grim, Kathleen Ellis, John Newmiller, Mike & Gerry
Strojnowski, Elaine & Fred Peterson, Rosemary Dileo,
Noah Ramsay, Sally Heater, Elizabeth Lyons, Alida
Bender, Steve Kelly, Fran Vertucci, Fr. Pedzich, Al
Foraker
Fifth Sunday of Easter – John 14:1-12
“I have done what is mine to do. Now you
must do what is yours to do.” (St. Francis
of Assisi)
Many centuries after Christ’s teachings and growth
of the early Christian church, these words were
shared by St. Francis of Assisi to his community
prior to his death in 1226. For St. Francis’
followers, I can imagine that these were difficult,
perhaps even daunting, and yet inspirational words
to hear.
Many of us who may have experienced the great
sense of despair and loss after the death of a loved
one, or maybe the sense of loss or despair around us
today, may be able to relate to the loss that early
Franciscans felt, and certainly the loss that the early
Apostles and Christ’s disciples felt after his
crucifixion and resurrection.
“…now you must do what is yours to do”, may
leave us asking ourselves: “well what is mine/ours
to do?” This may be even further frustrating to pose
this question amid our current pandemic crisis and
restrictions that are required of our communities,
including our Church.
Today Jesus helps us answer that question and
perhaps helps us make sense of St. Francis’
message. In John’s gospel passage, Jesus is
preparing the Apostles for his imminent departure
and gives his Apostles strength and encouragement,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith
in God, have faith also in me”. He further assures
us, “Where I am going you know the way” … and
that way is through Christ! “I am the way the truth
and the life”
Jesus also gives us a sense of community, even in
our heavenly salvation. “In my Father’s house there
are many dwelling places”, with a place prepared
for each of us. Now, I realize that this may not be
the best time to describe a place where we
“eternally dwell together”. But we have faith in our
Father and Jesus in a much different and heavenly
dwelling place! This sense of community is picked
up by the early Christians in Acts of Apostles.
Acts of Apostles chronicles developments of the
early Christians. Interestingly, previous weeks in
our Easter season provided us scenes of one mind
and one heart and Peter’s preaching leading to
thousands of conversions. All seems to be going
pretty smoothly in Acts, until this week. Today we
observe tension in the community and early
deployment of ordained ministries within the
Christian community to care for one another
through a ministry of service, or in Greek, diakonia.
This passage from the Acts of the Apostles traces us
to the first references to the order of deacons and St.
Stephen, the first deacon and martyr of the Church.
St. Stephen was noted for his charitable services, or
diakonia, throughout the early Christian church and
was one of the great early evangelists of our faith,
connecting Old Testament to Jesus’ life and
teachings. At the heart of St. Stephen’s ministry
was service to those in need in the community.
This included both physical and spiritual needs.
For the early Christians, this sense of community
and caring for the needs of everyone, in community,
followed the way of Christ. If we accept Jesus as
the cornerstone for which our community is built,
can our community mirror, or reflect, His influence
in its life? This is our challenge and the on-going
challenge of the Church. This challenge of love and
service to the community is not reserved for the
ordained ministries and religious life, but for all of
us.
When it becomes difficult for us to know the way or
“do what is ours to do” (as may often be the case),
what if we allowed our grounding to occur in the
ministry of the word (Sacred Scripture), breaking of
bread (Holy Eucharist) and caring for the needs of
others in our community (Diakonia)?
From the Desk of Matt Lumia