. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			Fr. Charles Puthota
	From the Pastor's Desktop
	A Message from Father Charles Puthota
	April 12, 2026
Dear Parishioners of St. Elizabeth,

Musings on the Easter Season: Jesus Christ is alive and active in our lives. This is what Easter simply means. It's true he was killed in a horrible way--- crucified on a cross. But on the third day, even as he had promised, he rose from the dead. His Father who had let his own son suffer and die, did not abandon him, but raised him to new life. Our lives are understood in the light of the resurrection of Christ. All our predicaments and perils do not have the power to destroy us, even though it might at times appear that way. Thanks to the risen Christ, we shall overcome. We shall have hope. We shall receive the power and strength. We can experience the process of dying and rising to a new life. What God has done throughout the history of the human race and what God has done through the Salvation History spelled out in the Bible- -- all this we can view from the most efficacious vantage point of the resurrection of Jesus. As someone has said: "The gospels do not explain the resurrection of Jesus; the resurrection explains the gospels." If we can keep dying to self and our unreasonable and uncharitable convictions, prejudices, preconceived notions, and conditioned, predetermined ways of living our lives, and if we keep rising to lifegiving, loving, self-giving ways, that is when the dynamics of Easter are really at work in our lives. We are an Easter people! Let the spirit of Easter make a difference in our lives.

Easter Quotes: "Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." -Pope John Paul II. "I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun- not because I can see it, but by it, I can see everything else." -C.S. Lewis. "We proclaim the resurrection of Christ when his light illuminates the dark moments of our existence." - Pope Francis. "Unless there is Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday." -Fulton J. Sheen. "Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime." -Martin Luther.

Word of God: During the season of Easter, we'll be reading the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles authored by Luke. This book is one of my favorites in the whole Bible. The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of what happened after Jesus ascended to heaven, having accomplished his mission on earth, about how the Spirit of Christ anointed and empowered the apostles to preach and practice the resurrection faith fearlessly and courageously. In today's first reading, we see that the early Christians lived a communal life, sharing everything they had. That spirit of sharing our lives and resources is something the world is desperately in need of. We have adequate resources in the world for all to enjoy the basic necessities, only not enough of the spirit of generosity. The gospel tells the story of the "doubting Thomas." He seeks rational, scientific proof to put his faith in the risen Christ. He represents the modern person looking for empirical evidence, but faith goes beyond such proofs, even as love does. "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen." The risen Christ shepherds us from the rational to the realm of faith in God's love and presence. As we all know, the deepest and most precious things in life are things we cannot see and touch. Are we ready for the faith the Easter Lord wants us to profess and practice?

Archdiocesan Annual Appeal (AAA) 2026: We've Reached the Goal---Congratulations and Thanks!: Please see the names of donors and the amount details on the last page of the bulletin. Those who are still considering, please give; the surplus gets returned to our parish for our own parish ministries and services. In the time span of four weeks, we made the goal of $34,588. We started 2026 AAA campaign on Sunday, March 1 and by Sunday, March 29 we arrived at our goal. I would like to thank all those who have donated generously toward AAA 2026. Also, special thanks to all those who donated 1.5% ($500 and more) so thoughtfully and kindly, which made it easier for us to reach our goal swiftly. Now that we have completed this goal quickly within four weeks, you shall not hear from me about it again except to thank the donors and celebrate this achievement. I shall be in touch with you about the luncheon, as promised, for those who have donated 1.5% or more as a way of expressing my deep gratitude.

Divine Mercy Sunday: The Second Sunday of Easter is designated as Divine Mercy Sunday. The Polish Saint Faustina's visions about Jesus' appearances to her have led to this special devotion. Let the prayer "Jesus, I trust in You" and the deep conviction of God's infinite love and mercy revealed in Jesus guide us through the journey of life as we go about fulfilling God's plan and purpose for our lives.

A Wisdom Story: The Bamboo Tree: A farmer watered a bamboo seed every day. For years, nothing appeared. Then suddenly, in a short time, it shot up high into the sky. Wisdom: Growth is often invisible before it becomes visible; patience is essential.

Humor: 1. A teacher asked, "What happened on Easter morning?" A student replied, "Jesus rose from the dead." "Correct. And what does that mean for us?" The student thought hard and said, "It means even when things look finished… God isn't finished yet!" The class smiled. 2. A priest asked the children, "Why do we say 'Alleluia' so much at Easter?" One boy answered, "Because we couldn't say it during Lent, so now we're making up for lost time!" The priest smiled, "Exactly!"

Wishing you and your families all the blessings of the Risen Christ,

Your Friend and Pastor,

Father Charles Puthota