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Fr.
Charles
Puthota
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From
the Pastor's
Desktop
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A
Message from
Father Charles
Puthota
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February
2,
2025
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Dear
Parishioners of
St.
Elizabeth,
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Feast
of the Presentation of
the Lord: This
Sunday we observe the
Feast of the
Presentation of the
Lord, celebrated
annually on February 2.
It commemorates the
event when Mary and
Joseph brought the
infant Jesus to the
Temple in Jerusalem, in
accordance with Jewish
law. This moment,
narrated in Luke
2:22-40, highlights the
consecration of Jesus to
God as the firstborn
male and Mary's
purification after
childbirth, following
the Mosaic law.
During this encounter,
the Holy Family met
Simeon, a righteous and
devout man, and Anna, a
prophetess. Simeon,
moved by the Holy
Spirit, recognized Jesus
as the long-awaited
Messiah, declaring Him
"a light for revelation
to the Gentiles and for
glory to Your people
Israel." His words,
known as the Nunc
Dimittis (now you let me
depart), express joy and
peace at seeing the
Savior. Anna, too, gave
thanks to God and spoke
about the child to
others awaiting
redemption.
Also called Candlemas,
this feast highlights
Christ as the "light of
the world."
Traditionally, candles
are blessed and carried
in procession to
symbolize Jesus bringing
light into the darkness
of sin and death. The
Presentation of the Lord
serves as a reminder of
Christ's mission and our
call to dedicate
ourselves to God with
faith and trust, just as
Mary and Joseph did.
Holy Year
2025: The Holy
Year 2025, also called
the Jubilee Year, is a
special event in the
Catholic Church
celebrated every 25
years. It is a time of
spiritual renewal,
prayer, and pilgrimage,
offering faithful
Catholics the
opportunity to
strengthen their
relationship with God.
Traditionally, the Pope
inaugurates the Jubilee
by opening the Holy Door
of St. Peter's Basilica
in Rome, symbolizing the
passage to salvation and
God's mercy. Pilgrims
who pass through this
door during the Holy
Year, along with meeting
spiritual requirements
such as confession and
prayer, may receive a
plenary indulgence. The
theme for the 2025
Jubilee is "Pilgrims of
Hope," emphasizing
renewal, solidarity, and
hope in a world facing
challenges like division
and uncertainty. The
Holy Year invites
believers to deepen
their faith, embrace
reconciliation, and
foster unity. Millions
are expected to visit
Rome, making it a global
celebration of faith and
grace.
Lenten
Retreat: On
Saturday, March 22,
2025. Please put it on
your calendar. Do join
us at the 8:30 a.m. Mass
that day and for the
sessions in Cantwell
Hall followed by lunch.
It's highly beneficial
for us to come together
and get to know each
other and reflect on
certain spiritual themes
as preparation for the
season of lent.
Archdiocesan
Annual Appeal (AAA)
2025: My letter
to the whole parish will
be soon mailed. We are
launching this year's
AAA campaign on the
weekend of February
15-16. Please do think
about your active and
generous participation
in this campaign.
St. Theresa of
Avila's Comforting
Words: "Let
nothing disturb you. Let
nothing frighten you.
All things pass. God
does not change.
Patience achieves
everything. Whoever has
God lacks nothing. God
alone suffices. Christ
has no body now on earth
but yours; no hands but
yours; no feet but
yours. Yours are the
eyes through which the
compassion of Christ
must look out on the
world. Yours are the
feet with which He is to
go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with
which He is to bless His
people."
A Story to Ponder:
Expand Your Inner
Space: A wise
old man lived atop a
hill, and people often
climbed to seek his
advice. One day, a
frustrated young man
arrived, complaining
about his life and
everyone around him. The
old man handed him a cup
and asked him to pour
salt into it. The young
man did. "Now drink it,"
the old man instructed.
The young man grimaced
as the bitterness
overwhelmed him. Next,
the old man took him to
a nearby lake and asked
him to pour the same
amount of salt into the
water. "Now drink." The
young man took a sip and
found it fresh and pure.
The old man smiled and
said, "The salt is like
your struggles. If your
mind is small, they
overwhelm you like the
cup. But if your
perspective is vast,
like the lake, the same
struggles seem
insignificant. Expand
your view, and peace
will follow."
Inspirational
Quotes: "Be the
change that you wish to
see in the world." -
Mahatma Gandhi. "In the
middle of every
difficulty lies
opportunity." - Albert
Einstein. "It always
seems impossible until
it's done." - Nelson
Mandela. "Success is not
final, failure is not
fatal: It is the courage
to continue that
counts." - Winston
Churchill. "Do what you
can, with what you have,
where you are." -
Theodore Roosevelt. "You
miss 100% of the shots
you don't take." - Wayne
Gretzky. "Believe you
can and you're halfway
there." - Theodore
Roosevelt. "Happiness is
not something
ready-made. It comes
from your own actions."
- Dalai Lama. "Don't
watch the clock; do what
it does. Keep going." -
Sam Levenson. "The only
way to do great work is
to love what you do." -
Steve Jobs.
Humor:
1. The Forgetful
Professor: A
professor was so
absent-minded that one
day he left home,
boarded a train, and
forgot where he was
going. The conductor
asked, "Do you have your
ticket?" The professor
said, "I must have
misplaced it!" The
conductor replied, "It's
fine, I'll let you ride
for free." The professor
shook his head,
panicking. "You don't
understand-I need the
ticket to know where I'm
going!" 2. The
Fishing Lie: Two
friends were fishing
when one bragged, "I
caught a fish this big
last week!" holding his
arms wide apart. The
other laughed and said,
"If it was that big,
how'd you reel it in?"
The first guy grinned.
"Oh, I didn't! I just
waved goodbye as it swam
off."
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