Thought for May

Harvest Seasons in the Bible - God's seven biblical festivals are contained within the three major harvest seasons of the Holy Land: the barley harvest, the later spring wheat harvest, and the great ingathering late summer and fall harvest. God identifies the three major harvest seasons in Deuteronomy 16: "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed" (verse 16). The entire family generally observes the festivals of God, including women and children (see Nehemiah 8:1-12). These three festivals symbolically portray humanity's salvation in successive stages. Each stage involves greater numbers than its predecessor. The first harvest season, the barley harvest, is the smallest, yet in a significant sense the greatest. Generally referred to as the Passover season, it includes the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the first spring harvest and is a lighter one, as the ripened barley is a relatively lighter-weighted grain than wheat. Within the Passover/Unleavened Bread season is the wave-sheaf offering (Leviticus 23:10-14). This is where the significance of the lighter harvest comes into play: It represents only one man, the Son of man-Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of the wave-sheaf offering, as He was accepted by God after His resurrection on the very day the wave-sheaf offering was waved before God for its acceptance before the barley harvest could begin. Just as the first of the annual harvest seasons began with the wave-sheaf offering, the first harvest of humankind for immortality in God's Kingdom began with Jesus Christ. Without this important beginning, the following two harvest seasons could never come about. Humanity's salvation is absolutely dependent on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 12:23-25). The second harvest festival is called the Feast of Pentecost, this being the Greek word for "fiftieth," as the festival was held 50 days from the wave-sheaf offering, counting the wave sheaf as day one (Leviticus 23:15-17). In the Old Testament this festival is called the Feast of Harvest, Feast of Weeks or simply Firstfruits (Exodus 23:16; Deuteronomy 16:10; Numbers 28:26). This feast represents the harvesting of the firstfruits in God's plan for humanity-including the Old Testament saints and those who throughout history have been part of the New Testament Church Jesus founded. The spiritual fulfillment of this Feast of Firstfruits began when God sent His Spirit to the original members of His Church-which, significantly, happened on the very day of the Feast of Firstfruits or Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). This harvest of the human firstfruits continues until the return of Christ Jesus, when they are resurrected to eternal life as immortal spirit beings (1 Corinthians 15:50-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). This is why the members of God's true Church are repeatedly called "firstfruits" in the Scriptures (see Romans 8:23; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; James 1:18; Revelation 14:4). So far we have seen that the biblical harvest festivals represent the resurrection of Jesus Christ to immortality, followed by God's calling of those whom He places within His Church, who will be resurrected to immortality at Christ's return. If we were to stop at this point, we would remain ignorant of the significance of God's final harvest festival: the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16). The very name gloriously defines the purpose of this great feast and offers the greatest hope to an otherwise hopeless humanity. As wonderful as God's master plan of salvation as depicted through these three harvest seasons is, there is an end to His harvesting of humanity. That last season is fittingly summarized as the Feast of Ingathering of all peoples. The three major harvest seasons reveal to us God's master plan for saving all humanity through all ages. Although humanity faces increasing troubles on the horizon, God has not left us, or the billions who will follow us, without protection and great hope. - CS

May 2012

KK Archdiocese

LJCCC Men's Formation
Date: May 16, 23
Venue: F8 SHPC
Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Contact:
LJCCC Office @ 088- 718817

Alpha 20
(Exploring the Meaning of Life)
Date: May 21, 28
Time: 7:45 pm - 10:00 pm (Dinner at 7 pm at canteen)
Venue: F7 SHPC
Contact: Michelle @ 016-8202840

Alpha Follow Up Series
(Catholicism DVD Series by Fr Robert Barron)
Date: May 21, 28
Time: 7:45 pm - 10:00 pm (Dinner at 7 pm at canteen)
Venue: F7 SHPC
Contact:
Michelle @ 016-8202840

Youth Cross Itinerary
Date: May 19
Venue: Holy Spirit Kemabong
Date: May 26
Venue: St Anthony Tenom
Contact:
Youth Office @ 088-712297

LifeTeen Activities
May 19: Movie Nite
May 26: Teaching: What goes up?
Venue: F6, SHPC
Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Contact:
Nelly @ 012-8388148

Bible Study
(Exodus: Called to Freedom)
Date: May 22, 29
June 05, 12, 19, 26
July 03, 10, 17
Time: 7:45 pm
Venue: F6, SHPC
DVD Series by Dr Tim Gray:
Contact: Arthur @ 013-8513238

Education Commission Activities
May 24: Visit SM Stella Maris Tg Aru
Contact: AEC Office @ 088-712297

KK Legion of Mary Comitium Meeting
Time: 12:00 noon
Contact: Victoria @ 016-8445213

** SHC PARISH EVENTS **
Contact: SHC Office @ 088-224741

Rosary Recitation
Venue: SH Chapel
Days: Mon & Wed (BM) 7:30 pm
Tue & Fri (Eng) 7:00 pm
Thu & Sun (Mand) 7:30 pm

BM Infant Baptism
Date: May 20: Baptism
Time: 4:00 pm
Venue: SHC

Kaamatan Fellowship
Date: May 20
Time: After 10:45 am Mass
Venue: SHPC

Mandarin Infant Baptisms
Date: May 20: Briefing
Time: 2:30 pm
Venue: Chapel
Date: May 17: Registration
Date: May 27: Baptism
Time: 2:30 pm
Venue: SHC

Chinese Parents Day Celebration
Date: May 27
Time: 7am
Venue: SHC

Neophytes Fellowship Nite (Presentation of Certificates)
Date: May 27
Time: 6:30 am
Venue: SHPC

Stella Maris Parish Events
May 20: Parish Kaamatan Celebration
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: Stella Maris Tg Aru
Contact:
Neil @ 013-8798415

Free Guidance & Pastoral Counselling Services
Venue: G4, Catholic Family Life Service Centre, SHPC
Contact:
088-220741 to make prior appointment
Parish Office: 088-224741
Services: individual, group, marriage & family counselling, career guidance, psycho-education (training or talks).

Alamesra Youth-PREP Centre
Time: 9 am - 5 pm (Mon- Fri), 9 am - 4 pm (Sat)
Venue: Ground floor, Lot 25, Block E, Lorong Plaza Utama 1, Alamesra, Jalan Sulaiman.
Contact: 088-485371 or fax 088-485373;
email: youthprepcentre@gmail.com
Parish office: 088-254321
Services: Provides a space for youths to seek professional assistance and support on issues such as education, relationships, work, family, financial stability. Also provides a point of reference for those intending to leave home for the first time and for those intending to work in West Malaysia and Singapore.

Keningau Diocese

Retret-Retret
May 18-20: Retret Karunia-Karunia Roh Kudus
Venue: Pertapaan Karmel Tambunan
Contact: Putri Karmel @ 011-18058158 (8am-3pm)

Monthly Adoration (12-hr)
Date: May 24
Time: 6 am - 7 pm
Venue: KSFX
Contact: Parish Office @ 087-331154

Monthly Adoration (15-hr)
Date: Mondays - Saturdays
Time: 6:30 am - 9:30 pm
Venue: RRKK Tatal
Contact: RRKK @ 087-332935

Sandakan Diocese

Bible Sharing (3 languages) (Mondays)
Date: May 21, 28
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: Holy Trinity Tawau
Contact: Parish Office @ 089-752281

Prayer Meeting (3 languages) (Fridays)
Date: May 18, 25
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: Holy Trinity Tawau
Contact: Parish Office @ 089-752281

Monthly Adoration
Date: May 24
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: St Mary's Cathedral
Contact: Parish Office @ 089-271331