Beloved St. James Family Members
Greetings in the name of Christ risen from the bondage of the grave.
We are now in the post-resurrection period. Easter disapproves of the myth that there is nothing beyond the grave. Jesus appears after his resurrection to Mary Magdalene, then to two men walking to Emmaus, and makes his first appearance to the apostles. Christ reveals himself again to the apostles and Thomas in attendance, then to 500 people at one time, and then to all the apostles in Galilee. Jesus appears to seven of the apostles on a Galilee shore, then visits his half-brother, James, and then lastly manifests himself to give the Great Commission before ascending into heaven. Ten days later, on Pentecost, the New Testament church is born. Forty days after the resurrection, Jesus and His disciples went to Mount Olivet, near Jerusalem. There, Jesus promised His followers that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit, and He instructed them to remain in Jerusalem until the Spirit had come. Then Jesus blessed them, and as He gave the blessing, He began to ascend into heaven.
The Ascension of Jesus Christ is meaningful in our faith journey because it assures many things. It signaled the end of His earthly ministry. It signified success in His earthly work. It symbolized His exaltation by the Father. It allowed Him to prepare a place for us. It set the pattern for His return. This ascension motivates us to a new lifestyle.
The construction and maintenance work of our newly purchased church property at Pearl River is going very smoothly. Each work is being completed step by step. We wish to complete its furnishing works beautifully with our traditional heritage and contemporary relevance. But I request the constant prayer and cooperation of all of us in these renovation activities. We should wish it to be a blessing to us and the coming generations. This year's Family Retreat is scheduled for August 15-18. All the families make the necessary arrangements to attend this retreat. God bless you all.
In His Ministry
Ajith Varghese Achen
