Oh... It has been so long sine I have posted! I continue to write but have not updated here for a while... Is there anyone out there?

Shifting Sands

A couple of weeks ago I took a trip to the National Seashore on the outer Cape. One of my favorite places is the Marconi Wireless Station on Marconi Beach. The winter of 2013 pretty much erased the seascape and reshaped it anew. At first I was very disappointed that the area had changed so much but I spent some time praying and reflecting and some time writing: How much like life are the shifting sands…

As I walk the path I sense the change...

An emptiness looms on the horizon...
I walk and the sand shifts with each footstep.
Why, I ask, must things change?
The wind and tide have reshaped the sands... 
            and the landscape I fell in love with is no more.
I am mourning the loss but I ponder the parallel in life...
The person I was a few years ago no longer exists
           And I have changed for the better.
Then Why, O' Why do we mourn for what once was?

I see a family of 4 walking along and taking in the sights.

The 2 kids skip in the sand, mom and dad taking their pictures...
All oohing and ahhing over such stunning beauty.
They ask me if I have ever seen such beauty!
In their eyes I see anew... And ask myself what do they see?
They know not of the past beauty but yet they appreciate the beauty of today!
They see the presence of God in the dunes, forever re sculpting his works.

They hand me a camera, I take a picture...

                The dunes and the sea in the back.
A memory is made for them, and for me.
I take out my camera and snap a few pics...
The beauty of today, I capture...
I see not the past but the present, in a way not known before.
There is a softness and gentleness that radiates outward...
The ocean is soft, her waves gentle...
The sand is fine and the dunes pillow like...
The grass dots the dunes and softly sways with the breeze.
There is a different beauty here to go with the reshaped landscape.
I have changed and Marconi has changed... And all for the better. Thanking God, always.

God Bless, Holly Clark

Companions on the Journey

This is a reflection I wrote several years ago about another trip I took to the National Seashore:
     I spent a few days last week relaxing on the Cape Cod National Seashore… taking my own advice and taking time out of everyday life to just “be still” and “Be.” I unplugged myself from technology and media: no Internet, Facebook, e-mail, nor newspapers or tv. I survived, despite being tempted by a friend and the motel owner.

   One day, after spending the morning meditating by the seaside, I decided to head for the Beech Forest, a wooded area in the park with walking trails and picnic area. I thought I would go a little ways into the trail and find a quiet spot to journal for a little bit and return to my motel. As I paused to grab a map, three little geese surrounded me. I tried not to disturb them as I slipped quietly into the woods. A few minutes later I turned around and noticed the three little geese had followed me into the forest. I kept walking and they kept following. I decided to do the whole walking loop just to see how long they would stay with me.

    As I walked, the geese walked with me; when I’d pause to look at a flower or tree, they would pause. On two occasions, when I stopped they would tug at my pant leg to get going again. Sometimes they’d walk in front of me, sometimes, beside and sometimes behind me but always nearby. I thought of giving them names… Huey, Duey & Louey? Or Tom, Dick and Harry? None seemed right.
    The three little guys stayed with me for the whole ¾ mile loop. I plopped on a picnic table to rest and they sat down beside me. As I gazed at them in amazement I wondered if God had sent them to be companions on my journey. Oh! How like the Trinity they were! The Holy Trinity walks with us, sometimes ahead leading the way, sometimes beside us and sometimes lagging behind, to guard over us when we may stumble on the path, even gently nudging us along. The Trinity will stay with us on our whole journey in life… I will always remember my walk in the wood with my three little friends and I will thank God for reminding me that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are always with me and with you. . . –God Bless, Holly Clark

The Rock on the Beach

Last week I took time out to enjoy the summer that seems to have finally arrived! I took a trip to the National Seashore located on the outer Cape. I had my beach chair, some good books and plunked myself in the middle of Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown. It was the first real sunny day in ages so I spent the day there.
When I arrived, the tide was going out and as the hours ticked by I could see a large rock emerging on the beach, coming out from under the water as the tide ebbed away. I watched as the waves splashed repeatedly into the rock and thought of myself as that rock. I asked myself am I like the rock that stands stubbornly in the face of trials and tribulations, resisting and fighting life? Or am I like the rock that allows and welcomes the waves to gently flow over me, slowly reshaping me into something anew?
The Holy Spirit is very much like the waves of the ocean. Sometimes coming crashing into you and at other times gently washing over you, and through you, bringing you to new life. Water has the awesome power to transform us through Baptism. The next time you encounter water, in the shower, doing dishes, or at the beach pause and take a moment and reflect upon its life-giving qualities both in the physical and spiritual sense.

 As the tide returned and re-covered my rock, the refrain from the song “Sacred Silence” kept running through my head as a prayer… It is a good prayer to remember as we go about our summer activities:

Sacred silence, holy ocean,
gentle water, washing over me.
Help me listen, Holy Spirit,
come and speak to me.
“Sacred Silence” - Tom Booth
                                                          God bless, Holly Clark!

What Image of Jesus Would You Use?

June 29, 2014

What Image of Jesus Would You Use?
This question was asked of me last summer when I was being interviewed as a part of the process to becoming a certified Pastoral Associate. The scenario they had asked me to reflect upon was: “It is now June 2014 and you are celebrating the one year anniversary of the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative what image of Jesus would you use? What image of Jesus would you want your parishioners to see as coming from the Collaborative?’ My answer was that I would like to see a “Come as You Are Jesus” and a “Happy, Joyous, Welcoming Jesus”. My thought was that, in our Collaborative we want to welcome everyone right where they are in faith, right where they live in whatever state of life they may be in—Just as Jesus did throughout His ministry. I also was thinking that we want our image of Jesus to be one of joy and happiness. I was imagining that at our one year celebration Jesus would be happy and joyous at what we had accomplished in one year and what we will accomplish in the future- together.

 As we celebrated together the Cardinal’s visit to bless the St. Joseph House and then again at the St. Rose BBQ—I felt as if we were truly celebrating the one year anniversary of our Collaborative. I was brought back to the question of “What image of Jesus…”. As I celebrated with you at these events I found Jesus there with us… I saw on Jesus’ face a joyous, happy face and His arms wide open as He greeted each of us at the door. I felt truly the hypothetical question asked of me last August had become a reality! Many people came to the celebrations with joy, welcoming one another in peace and fellowship. As I greeted you and as I hobnobbed with you, I could see my image of welcoming, warm, joyous, come-as-you are Jesus reflected in each of your faces. I feel very blessed to be working in our Collaborative. All together we have made Jesus weep with Joy in our love for one another and willingness to continue His Mission on earth. My God bless all of you, and our Collaborative for years to come…

Peace to you, Holly Clark!

The Labyrinth - Part Two

June 21, 2014

The Labyrinth – Part Two
Into the Labyrinth I go…

This morning I went down to walk the labyrinth... not expecting anything... just stilling my mind awaiting God to initiate the conversation. As I walked I kept noticing the stones that line my path. I found myself staring at the guide stones...noticing their uniqueness, color, striations, size, speckling, texture, sparklings, and position. As I walked I reflected on my past musings, knowing what kind of rock am I... This time I looked at the same stones and mused about each of the rocks representing people I have guided and in an intermingling of thoughts I was thinking that they were also the people who have guided me, helping me along my path. I found myself grateful to both the people who have guided me and the people I serve.

When I got to the center I became very emotional looking at the stack of rocks. I knew each was placed there by a person... Each stone represented a prayer or thought, or person... And I laid my stone down too... And then God said to me... All the persons in our collaborative! All the rocks piled one, by one, coming together to form a pattern, a structure! Our collaborative! I began to well up with emotion! I thought of each stone as a member of our collaborative all coming together, joining together in the single purpose of building the collaborative and seeing it work! God continues to surprise me with his thoughts and ideas. Or maybe he brings to the surface what I already have deep in my soul...

Perhaps this is the mystery I see... I see rocks as special, each with a history and function, each unique as are people. I see the stone, I hear the stone, I pray with the stone. I see stones as worthy as is each individual I meet... And when we all come together we can build bridges, buildings, seating places, labyrinths, walls... And so it is with our collaborative. We are each a living stone and together we can build a new house to God… a home, made of living stone. God bless, Holly Clark!

The Labyrith- Part 1

June 15, 2014
  Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." Mark 6:31

This is my favorite piece of scripture to pray with at the beginning of summer! Jesus tells us to take ourselves out of our everyday busyness, find a quiet place and to simply rest because it is in the quiet of our surroundings and the stillness of our minds that we can truly hear God’s gentle whisperings to us.

A couple of weeks ago I went to a retreat house in Cohasset, on the edge of the ocean. When I am by the ocean I am closest to God and this is my favorite “deserted” place. On the shore of the retreat grounds, a prayer labyrinth is set up. When praying with a labyrinth one stands at the entrance, stills the mind and readies oneself to enter a conversation with God. As one walks to the center of the labyrinth and back, through many curves and twists one becomes aware of God’s presence.

 I stood at the entrance of the labyrinth, listening to the gentle lapping of the waves upon the shore and stilled my mind. I asked God guide me. As I walked I found myself focusing on the round stones that lined my path. God was talking to me through the stones. As I walked I thought how each of those stones represents someone who guided me on my faith journey and brought me to where I am today. Each of the stones was different in appearance, coloring, texture and size… just like all of us. I also got to thinking of the times when I have been a guide stone to others- helping and guiding someone else on their faith journey. God reminds me that we do not journey alone. We all take turns being the seeker in a labyrinth and being the labyrinth’s guide. Let us take time today to reflect upon those persons who have been our guides and pray for those whom we have guided… We never journey alone… God bless, Holly Clark!


PS- My journey into the Labyrinth will continue in next week’s blog. The Center of the Labyrinth holds revelations for those who journey with the Lord!

Spirit of Wind and Fire

June 8, 2014

Spirit of Wind and Fire
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…
Acts 2:1-10

Have you ever been touched by the Holy Spirit? Have you ever invited the Holy Spirit into your heart? Have you seen the Spirit come to you in fire and wind? Of the three members of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit always seemed to be the most mysterious to me. I can easily picture in my mind the Father and Son but when I get to the Holy Spirit I have many images that come to mind: dove, wind, fire, water, etc. These would seem to be very differing images but all are of the Sprit and we can experience the Holy Spirit in many ways!

When I was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer a few years ago, I knew it was too much for me to handle by myself so I asked the Trinity to help! I asked our Father to be my strength and His Son to be my Healing and since the Holy Spirit can be and do many things I asked him to be and to do everything that the other two didn’t do! With their help I made it through but during this time I found myself face-to-face with the Holy Spirit. It was as if the Holy Spirit took up residence in my body. I felt the fire and warmth, I felt the wild wind and I received the peace of the dove. The Holy Spirit and I were no longer strangers.

As I go through life I am reminded of those months in treatment and how the Holy Spirit kept me going. Today the Spirit speaks to me in the wind, in the fire of a sunset and the gentle (sometimes stormy) ocean waves. The Holy Spirit may be mysterious but once you invite him into your heart, he will always be there… all you need to do is to call out to him… Come Holy Spirit… and he will be there.

God bless, Holly Clark!

Hope...

Hope...

Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope. 1Peter 3:15

Hope can mean so many things to different people. Hope can be as simple as hoping for a new job, hoping for good grades, hoping to find Mister Right (or Miss Right), or hoping for a sunny day for a barbecue. Hope can also be complex, such as hoping for a cure for cancer or an end to war… and then… there is Hope in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is through our Triune God that our hopes and dreams may be realized and fulfilled.

Today’s second reading challenges us to be ready to give an explanation for our Hope when asked. Our ultimate Hope lies in life everlasting with our Father, and His Son, Jesus—Death is no more! A simple explanation for Hope could be that Jesus died for us, thus our Hope resides in the Cross. But we may know this in our minds but what do our hearts say when we are asked the question: “What gives you hope?” It is up to each of us to spend time in prayer to answer the question. For me I find hope in two ways one is through nature and the other is through each of you! In nature I see the face of God in every leaf, flower, bird, babbling brook; and I think what an awesome God to create all this beauty. Nature gives me hope of a loving God!

In each of you, I see the face of Christ. When I take your hand at the sign of peace or extend a comforting hug, I feel your spirit interminlged with the spirit of Christ; and in your stories I hear the voice of Christ uplifting me in hope.

I challenge you this week! Take some time to pray and reflect on what gives you hope… and share that hope with a friend and with your family. Our world and our lives are so much the better when there is hope. – God Bless, Holly Clark!