Starting February 24, 2008 at the 9:30 am Mass, our parish will start praying for vocations with the "Elijah Cup".
Elijah & the Widow
1 Kings
17:8-15
After some
time, however, the brook ran dry, because no rain had fallen in the
land. So the LORD said to him: "Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and
stay there. I have designated a widow there to provide for you." He
left and went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the
city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink." She left to get
it, and he called out after her, "Please bring along a bit of
bread." "As the LORD, your God, lives," she answered, "I have
nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a
little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have
eaten it, we shall die." "Do not be afraid," Elijah said to her. "Go
and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it
to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God
of Israel, says, 'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug
of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the
earth.'" She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat
for a year, and he and her son as well.
The purpose of the Elijah Cup, a consecrated chalice, is to provide
a focal point for prayer. We are all aware of the need for vocations
to the priesthood, the deaconate and to the religious life. But
sometimes we forget just how powerful praying for an increase in
vocations can be. If we pray with the faith of the widow of Zarapeth,
our cup will never run dry! We will always have priests to bring us
Jesus in the Eucharist.
In 1 Kings 17, during a drought, Elijah tells the poor widow of
Zarapeth that if she makes him a small loaf of bread with the last
of her flour and oil, her "jar of flour will not go empty, nor the
jug of oil run dry, until the Lord sends rain upon the earth." In
faith, the widow baked the bread and fed Elijah. For the next year,
the widow, her son, and Elijah ate bread made from the bowl of flour
and jug of oil.
Praying for vocations is a responsibility and privilege of the Church. The "Elijah Cup" is a chalice that will be presented to a family each Sunday at the conclusion of Mass. That family will take the "Elijah Cup" home and use it as a focal point while praying daily for an increase in religious vocations. In successive weeks, the "Elijah Cup" is passed to other families.
Each week at Sunday Mass, the celebrant will use the Elijah Cup as the chalice or a precious blood cup. After purifying the Elijah Cup at the end of Communion, he calls a family, individual, or couple forward to receive the Elijah Cup. They receive a blessing and take the cup home, putting it in a place of honor.
Each day for a
week, during prayer time (morning, bedtime or at meals), they pray
for an increase and perseverance of vocations. The following Sunday
they return the Elijah Cup with the gifts of bread and wine at the
Offertory.
A prayer journal also travels with the Elijah Cup. The family,
individual, or couple that has the cup enters a thought, prayer, or
scripture verse. Over time, this diary becomes a spiritual journal
for the Parish.
We hope that
those who bring the cup home will continue to pray for vocations
daily.
Email
Family Ministry
if you are interested in being a host
family for the Elijah cup.
Message of the Holy Father for the 45th World Day of Prayer for Vocations
With thanks to the Serra Atlanta Organization, Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia for organizing this program to foster vocations and for sharing it with St. Kilian Parish.