The fiftieth day

HOLY SPIRIT

One day the most famous theologian Thomas Acquinas suddenly stopped writing. And his assistant came to him and asked why. St. Thomas Acquinas said, "Some mothes ago, I experienced something of the Almighty, and so all I have ever written about God seems to me like nothing".
Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. This day invites us to experience the God in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Pentecost means fiftieth day. Fifty days after the Resurrection, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire on the Apostles and on all who believed in the risen Christ.

1. Once a little boy was praying to God beside his mother and grandmother. He said, "God.. thank you for everything and please give me a good night sleep. Then he screamed saying, "don't forget me to give a bike for my birthday".The mother said, "Don't scream. God is not deaf"Then the body said, "I know mother. But our grandma is deaf".
Today we celebrate the birth day of the Church. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and instructed them for 40 days, after which he ascended to heaven. While with them, he said: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4-5). That first baptism of the Spirit would be the birthday of the church.
Jesus’ words were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), and the apostle Peter preached his first sermon, urging the crowds to repent, to believe in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 38). That very day of Pentecost some 3,000 people were baptized and became the people of God (verse 41). The church had been born.

2. Once Mother Teresa was asked by a visitor, "Mother.. by the way was not hard to learn the language of these people whom you are serving?"Mother Teresa said, "No... not at all. we communicate with our heart, with our smile and with our faith"
When the Holy Spirit came upon them, the Apostles began to speak in many languages. Everyone understood them perfectly. They communicated with them the purpose of God sending His only Son. Thus they all experienced healing and wonder of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Once a teacher asked her children to name the gift they possess from the Holy Spirit.everybody discovered their gifts except one boy. The teacher asked him, "John, don't you have any gift?"He said, "I am not going to be worried about it right now because I have enought patience".

we are all blessed with many gifts from the Holy Spirit. And when we use them, they will actually multiply. Any gift from the Holy Spirit is given to us to use for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in need. So as we celebrate pentecost Sunday, let us ask the Holy Spirit to reconfirm us with his love and kindness. Amen.

Pentecost

HOLY SPIRIT


One day the most famous theologian Thomas Aquinas
suddenly stopped writing. And his assistant came to him
and asked why. St. Thomas Aquinas said, "Some months
ago, I experienced something of the Almighty, and so all I
have ever written about God seems to me like nothing".
Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. This day invites us
to experience the God in the Son and in the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost means fiftieth day. Fifty days after the
Resurrection, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit as
tongues of fire on the Apostles and on all who believed in
the risen Christ.


1. Once a little boy was praying to God beside his mother
and grandmother. He said, "God.. thank you for everything
and please give me a good night sleep. Then he screamed
saying, "don't forget me to give a bike for my birthday".The mother said, "Don't scream. God is not deaf"Then the body said, "I know mother. But our grandma is
deaf".
Today we celebrate the birth day of the Church. After his
resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and instructed
them for 40 days, after which he ascended to heaven. While
with them, he said: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for
the gift my Father promised. For John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit"
(Acts 1:4-5). That first baptism of the Spirit would be the
birthday of the church.
Jesus’ words were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. The
disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), and the
apostle Peter preached his first sermon, urging the crowds
to repent, to believe in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and to
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 38). That very day
of Pentecost some 3,000 people were baptized and became
the people of God (verse 41). The church had been born.


2. Once Mother Teresa was asked by a visitor, "Mother.. by
the way was not hard to learn the language of these people
whom you are serving?"Mother Teresa said, "No... not at all. we communicate with
our heart, with our smile and with our faith"
When the Holy Spirit came upon them, the Apostles began
to speak in many languages. Everyone understood them
perfectly. They communicated with them the purpose of
God sending His only Son. Thus they all experienced
healing and wonder of our Lord Jesus Christ.


3. Once a teacher asked her children to name the gift they possess from the Holy Spirit.everybody discovered their gifts except one boy. The teacher asked him, "John, don't you have any gift?"He said, "I am not going to be worried about it right now because I have enough patience".
we are all blessed with many gifts from the Holy Spirit. And when we use them, they will actually multiply. Any gift from the Holy Spirit is given to us to use for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in need. So as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, let us ask the Holy Spirit to reconfirm us with his love and kindness. Amen.

THE ASCENSION-2

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Introduction: Christ our Lord, after His resurrection, for forty days stayed on earth, appearing to His disciples and preparing them to send them out to preach the Good News of the gospel. Then on the fortieth day, in the presence of His disciples and of all his followers, He was taken up to heaven. yes, He who descended, ascended into heaven.

Once a grandmother took her grandson to a seashore. While he was playing, a big wave came and took him in. The grandma who was crying, prayed to God and said, "God, bring my grandson back to me and I'll do anything for you". Then miraculously her grandson was brought back to the shore. she then thanked God and said,, "By the way... my grandson was wearing a hat".

1. The Ascension of the Lord tells us where the Risen Christ is now: He is now sitting at the right hand of the father, and fulfilling all our needs. The good Shepherd is looking after his sheep. The Jesus who lived, died and came back to life is still with us, every time we pray, read the bible and come to Church, we can experience his presence among us.

Once a man was seriously searching for something on hands and knees. His neighbour came along and asked, "what are you searching for?" he said, "I lost my keys"so they both began to search and three hours after, the neighbour asked, "where did you lose your key?" the man said, "at home" then why are you searching here. The man said, "Because it is brighter here". search God where you lost him.

2. The Ascension of our Lord Jesus tells us why Christ appeared to His disciples: He appeared to them to leave behind their fears and anxieties. They were afraid of authorities and were hiding behind locked doors. Every time, Christ appeared to them, he gave them peace and hope and strengthened them to face the world with his love and kindness. He promised them saying, 'don't be afraid, I will be with you until the end of time".

Once a cab driver and a priest were trying to enter into heaven. The cab driver was right away allowed into heaven but the priest was asked to wait for sometime. The priest got mad and asked why. St.peter looked at him and said, "every time the cab driver drove, people were afraid of death and prayed to God and every time you preached, they slept.Now those who sleep, please raise your hand.

3. The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again on the last day. His coming will be our glory and joy. He comes to judge us and those who follow him, will have life everlasting. And we who follow him will be given new life, so let us eagerly wait for the day.

One day a man visited a famous Rabbi and when he saw his house, he was surprised, because there were no furniture, books or anything. The man asked the rabbi, "Rabbi... where are your furniture and other stuff?"The rabbi asked him, "where are yours?"The man said, "I am just a visitor".the Rabbi answered him, "so am I my friend... so am I.

4. The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that those who follow him should go out and preach the good news to all, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus says we don't need to be worried of what to say and how to say, because everything will be given to us at that time. So let us celebrate his resurrection and ascension and celebrate our life in Him. Amen.

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

The Risen Christ, after His resurrection, spent forty days with His disciples, appearing to them and sharing with them His peace and asking them to go everywhere and baptize them all in His name, and then He ascended into heaven. The one who descended was taken into heaven.

1.The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ provides an explanation of where the Risen Christ is now: He is in heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father. The Bible says from heaven, He is continuing to look after His sheep. He continues to shower upon us his blessings. we are not alone but Jesus who came among us, lived, suffered and died for our sins is always with us. And He asked us to pray without ceasing and thus we come to know His presence and experience his love and kindness. Before leaving, Jesus promised that he would send the third person, the advocate to remind us everything that He taught and did. As we celebrate the Ascension of Christ our lord, let us adore him.

2. The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ provides explanation of why the Risen Christ was seen by many followers of his disciples: After His crucifixion, the disciples lost hope and they began to hide behind locked door for the fear of authorities and then Christ who promised them that He would come back to life, after his resurrection appeared to them and shared with them his peace. He gave them His divine peace to destroy their fear and anxieties of human authorities. he said, "do not be afraid and I will be with you until the end of time". Jesus for forty days appeared to his disciples in many ways and encouraged them to go everywhere to proclaim the good news. As we celebrate the Ascension of Christ our lord, let us adore him.

3. The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ provides assurance that the Risen Christ is still with us and He will also return to us on the last day; The risen Christ never left us and he is always with us. when we call upon Him with faith and hope, there we will experience his presence and we may come to know his presence among our brothers and sisters in need. The Christ who is sitting at the right hand of God will come again to judge us. He will come to glorify all his followers saying, "come and enter into the house of God prepared for you". As we today celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us adore him.4. Finally, His ascension gives us responsibility to continue His miracles and wonders among people; Before going up to heaven, Jesus asked his disciples to go everywhere and baptize them all in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He gave them authority and power to do his will. Jesus said, "anyone who keeps his commandments will be saved and be given life everlasting. And today we are asked to continue his mission , we are asked to preach the good news of salvation among people. we are asked be his followers in words and deeds. So as we celebrate the Ascension of our lord Jesus, let us celebrate our life in Him. Amen.

MOTHER'S DAY

MOTHER'S DAY

Today as we celebrate mother's day, let us thank God for our mothers who sacrificed so much
for our welfare and growth. And let us thank God for every woman who promotes justice and
love of God by her very presence.

Once a little boy forgot his lines in the school drama in which he was participating. His mother who was sitting in the front row helped him whispering, "say, I am the light of the world"The boy was so happy because he got the line and said proudly, "my mother is the light of the
world".Mothers radiates divine peace and serenity in the world. They sacrifice their happiness and joy for their family and children. And that is why God's love is compared to that of a mother. There is a beautiful biblical story about the wisdom of Solomon in which we come to know the
true love of a mother.

Once king Solomon was asked to give a verdict on a case in which two women claimed for one child. They both said that the child belonged to them. Then Solomon said, "Bring me a sword.
Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other."
The woman who claimed that her son was stolen from her said, "Please, my lord, give her the
living child and do not kill it."
But the other woman said, "please cut the child into two!"
The king spoke up and said, "Give the first woman the living child and do not kill it; for she is
his mother." Motherhood is spiritual in nature and it can only be identified with sacrifice and
love. we say faith begins at home. yes, faith begins at home because of mothers. when a mother
has a strong faith, her children's faith will be stronger.

Once a Sunday school teacher looked at one of the boys let us say, Joe and asked, "Joe, tell me
do you really pray before meals at home?"And Joe said, "No.. sir"Then the teacher asked, "Why don't you pray?"Joe said, "Because, my mother is a good cook".Mothers know what their children need. when a mother looks after her child, she looks after the
future of a society.

Once former president George Bush said, "I don't like broccoli and I never liked it and my mother made me eat it. Now I am a president and I am not going to eat any more broccoli.Mothers are always there in our good times and bad and in our sickness and in health. One of the ten commandments is, "honour your father and mother". Jesus by honoring His
parents grew in wisdom and knowledge.

Once a mother who had three sons received presence from them for mother's day. The first son beautiful big house for her. The second one got a nice BMW car and the third one a parrot who
could recite the whole bible. Then she sent a thank you note to each of them. she said to the first
one, "Son, since I am getting old, I don't need a big house and I can't accept your gift" To the
second one, she wrote, "Son, I am not driving anymore and I can't accept your gift. Then she
wrote to the third one, "Son, you are the best. And thank you very much for your precious gift
and by the way, the bird was so delicious".Conclusion: As we are preparing ourselves to celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven, let us thank God for our mothers and ask Him to descend His blessings on them. Amen.