Our community will start the Elijah Cup program to pray for vocations, especially for vocations coming from the Chinese community. The Elijah Cup is a consecrated chalice which has been used during Mass. Each Sunday at Mass after Holy Communion, a family or an individual will be called to take the Elijah Cup to be placed in a place of honor in their home. Every day for a week, they will pray for vocations; in addition to the Prayer for Vocations, they can also pray the rosary or use their own words. In the following Sunday, they return the Elijah Cup which in turn will be passed on to the next family or individual.
Why is this program called the Elijah Cup? In 1 Kings 17, during a drought, the prophet 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. 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.
Prayer for Vocations
Lord Jesus! O Good Shepherd! You came down on earth to find the lost sheep so that they might be saved and you called the apostles to become fishers of men. We beg you to call enthusiastic young people to become the salt of the earth and the light of the world, to practice the fullness of the Gospel in offering themselves, to work together, to build your Church, the Body of Christ, and to save souls. We humbly ask you to grant those who have been called the grace of wisdom, patience and fortitude, to radiate your glory, to spread your kingdom, and to lead their souls to everlasting life. Amen.