St. Mary's 

of the

 Immaculate Conception 

The Bells of St. Mary’s
 The Church of the Immaculate Conception
 
Third Sunday of Easter
 April 18, 2021
 

Fr. Anthony Ekanem, MSP.

 OUR DUTY AS WITNESSES

Two Sundays ago, we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and to this day, virtually all our readings have been centered around the events that happened on that Easter Sunday Morning. Basically, we are still celebrating Easter.
Last Sunday, we saw how Jesus Christ showed the depth of His mercy by not only forgiving those who killed and betrayed Him but even creating the sacrament of confession thereby making it so easy for us to always obtain forgiveness from God. If we believe that Jesus rose from the dead, we should rise from un - forgiveness, hatred, malice and the desire for revenge.
Today, being the third Sunday of Easter, we are reminded of our duty as witnesses; called upon to share our own Easter experience with others. What is the point watching a really good movie if you never get to talk about it with someone? What is the point being the first person to hear a really good news if you never get the honor of broadcasting it? What is the point experiencing the greatest event that ever happened in all of human history if we never get to share it with one another?
What is your personal experience of Easter? Since that day, what changes have you noticed in your spiritual life in the course of your forty days Lenten observance? Like Peter, have you tried to pray for anyone using the name of Christ? What happened afterwards? Again, like the two disciples who met Jesus on their way to Emmaus, have you had any personal encounter with Jesus recently? Have you had any close experience that made you become even more convinced that Jesus is God?
Today, Jesus is basically saying to us: “Do not keep it to your-self alone.” See how today’s Gospel passage ends. Jesus said to the disciples as he is saying to us today: “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:46-48. Peter says the same thing in our first reading: “To this, we are witnesses…”
As witnesses, what are we to say to the world? What precisely are we witnessing to? Simply: REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS OF SIN. Our primary message to the world is the same message Peter proclaimed to the great assembly of people who had gathered at the instance of the healing of the lame man who begged for alms. The message is simple: “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts 3:19.
In proclaiming Christ’s resurrection, the singular response we must demand from those who listen to our message is repentance from sin. Christ died to obtain the forgiveness of my sins but by remaining in my sins, I nail Christ again and again to the cross.
How can I tell people about heaven when I am living as though heaven does not exist? Perhaps, this why Christianity is not spreading as much as it did among the early Christians. The greatest challenge facing the Christian faith today is that there are so many preachers but only few doers, there are so many Churches but only few true worshippers, there are so many church-goers but only few witnesses.
Be a witness today. Don’t just talk about Jesus, let your very life of obedience to God and holiness become your speakers and amplifiers. Jesus will surely be there to put the right words in your lips and to confirm your actions with his signs. This trying times maybe the right to witness to our sisters and brothers the love, the mercy, healing and the power of the risen Christ. The two disciples had barely started narrating their experience before Jesus Himself came among them to confirm their message by eating real food. Every time we share the Gospel with others, Jesus is right there with us. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20. Do not let this time pass us by without you witnessing before others your faith in the name of the Lord.
 

- Cardinal’s Appeal -

 
We are appealing to everyone who has not made his or her contribution (pledge) towards Cardinal’s Annual Appeal to try and do so. No gift is too small in this efforts. You can use the response cards and pencils that have been placed in the pews, and the ones that can also be found on the table at the back of the Church. You can drop them in the gift basket with our Ushers to help us pass our parish goal of $35,500. We still need about $19, 208 in pledges.
 
We would like to reach our goal as we did last year, which was an incredible achievement for 2020. Many of us have already responded by going online, some have mailed in their own, some dropped theirs in the collection baskets on Sunday, and some made a onetime payment. If you have yet to contribute to the Cardinal’s Appeal, please kindly pray about it to help you decide upon your special contribution towards this appeal from the Archdiocese. You can Visit: www.cardinalsappeal.org to make your gift. 

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES To open Churches

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English:  Saturday 5:00pm, Sunday  7:30am  & 11:00am  
Spanish: Saturday-7:00pm, & Sunday-9:00am   
Arabic: Sunday-12:30pm                   

Weekdays:
English-8:15am & 12:05pm,    Spanish– Thursday 7:00pm
Eve of Holy days: 5:00pm,   
Holy Days: 8:15am, 12:05 pm 7:00pm
First Fridays: Exposition of Blessed Sacrament- 11:00am to 12 noon in English & 7pm in Spanish                                                                             
Mass Intention:  To request a Mass, you may go the rectory; send an email to icmary@gmail.com: or call the parish office at 914-963-0156. Please include your   contact number. Thank you

Confessions: 
English-
Monday to Fridays:  11:45-12noon
Saturday  11:45-12noon & 4:30-5:00pm
Spanish-
Friday’s 11:30-12 noon and 
In the  Rectory- 
Monday & Friday 3:00 - 5:00pm

Sick Calls–   Any hour Day or Night
Baptism:
In English–
the last Sunday of the month at 3:00pm (please call  ahead and make an appointment  with Fr. Anthony)
In Spanish–
The 2nd Saturday of the month at  2:30pm (please call ahead                                                      and make an appointment with Fr. George)
Marriages-
In order to provide sufficiently time for the Marriage Preparation Course, please call the parish office and ask to speak with any of the priests at least six months in advance.      

The Cardinal’s Appeal http://cardinalsappeal.org/
Archdiocese of NYhttps://archny.org/
The Vatican:           www.news.vatican
The Catholic Link: http://catholic-link.org/