The Faith Page - May

April Showers Bring May Flowers

My mother used to tell me that April showers would bring May flowers. May flowers were then presented to the Blessed Mother at church. May is the Month we honor Mary. This year with Easter so late it struck me that April showers are like Lent and May flowers are like the Easter Season. I know it sounds kind of goofy but even though I don’t love rain I enjoy watching all of the beautiful flowers opening in the spring. I also must admit I don’t love giving up things or making sacrifices during Lent but I do love the graces that bloom from them. It is important for us to continue to let God’s graces flow through us as we experience the six weeks of Easter ending with the Ascension and Pentecost. Easter isn’t over, it continues. Jesus is risen and the risen Lord shares some great fruit in His words which we hear over the next few weeks. Let’s encounter the risen Lord through His words and then share them with others by our actions.

As May has arrived and we see the close of another school year rapidly approaching, let us be so bold as to ask the Blessed Mother to share her special month with some of our very special mothers here at Saint Peter the Apostle Parish and school. As I write this, I am still in awe of the words I heard spoken from the Beatification Mass this morning of Blessed John Paul II. It is obvious to me that this man is as present to us today as he was when he lived among, as the Pope. Just as we may ask a friend or relative to pray for us we ask the Saints and Blessed to pray for us as an intercession to Our beloved Father.

A novena is nine days of private or public devotion in the Catholic Church to obtain special graces. We are asking everyone to join in praying a nine day novena for those mothers who are, or have been, fighting serious illness recently. The Novena is through the intercession of Blessed John Paul II. We have begun on May 1 and will continue to May 9 which is our “mini” relay for life. If you weren’t able to start the novena on “day one” that is fine. Please join the novena on whichever day you can as we join together in solidarity for these amazing women and mothers. Your prayers are appreciated.
-John Ebberwein