The Need for Rest: Be Still
The book of Genesis tells us that on the seventh day God rested. God, as powerful as He is, and as strong as He is, still needs rest. Do you rest? Are you ever still enough to rest? Why do we plot and plan every minute of our time such that even if our body is resting our mind is not. God created us in His image and likeness… He needed rest, so why don’t we?
Last weekend marked the official start of summer fun. School is out, the heat is here, travel plans and reservations have been made. But did you make a reservation for rest? In today’s day and age it is getting harder and harder to find a time where we are not running here and there… cell phones keep us in constant contact with everyone in the world… thus keeping our minds constantly occupied. We must learn to just say NO! For a day or two (or three or four) try turning off your cell phones, don’t log into Facebook and check e-mail, don’t attend every event you are invited to… Just say NO, I need rest, I need to be still. You need to put in your reservation for your own time!
This summer let us make a point to be still… let us create opportunities for one another to be still… let us pray to God for stillness when we cannot find it in our own hearts and minds.. . –God Bless, Holly Clark
PS… As you are reading this I will be resting, being still, hopefully on a beach somewhere on the Cape. Be still… be…
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Why Worry?
Why Worry?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Mt 6:27
I came across this scripture verse one day a couple of weeks ago in the daily readings and it seem so appropriate to circumstances in my life. How much of our time is spent worrying? Worrying about finances, getting a good grade or job performance review, or the health of a loved one? When you ask people why they worry, often the response is so I can prepare for the worst that can happen (which often does not happen!). Think of how much energy is wasted preparing and worrying for things that do not happen! I am fond of saying “worrying about the future ruins the present!” The answer to the above question is a resounding NO!
Instead let us try to live in the present. The eternal now. Do not let yourself be burdened by worry. When you find worrying thoughts creeping into your mind give them over to Jesus and let Him do your worrying for you. Put your worries and your life into His hands. He will guide you in your journey. This passage from Philippians (4:6-7) says it best:
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
. . –God Bless and Don’t Worry…, Holly Clark
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Mt 6:27
I came across this scripture verse one day a couple of weeks ago in the daily readings and it seem so appropriate to circumstances in my life. How much of our time is spent worrying? Worrying about finances, getting a good grade or job performance review, or the health of a loved one? When you ask people why they worry, often the response is so I can prepare for the worst that can happen (which often does not happen!). Think of how much energy is wasted preparing and worrying for things that do not happen! I am fond of saying “worrying about the future ruins the present!” The answer to the above question is a resounding NO!
Instead let us try to live in the present. The eternal now. Do not let yourself be burdened by worry. When you find worrying thoughts creeping into your mind give them over to Jesus and let Him do your worrying for you. Put your worries and your life into His hands. He will guide you in your journey. This passage from Philippians (4:6-7) says it best:
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
. . –God Bless and Don’t Worry…, Holly Clark
Happy Birthday Sacred Heart Church
June 27th
Happy Birthday Sacred Heart!
In 1870, church services were held monthly in the hall over the general store of Colonel Peter H. Pierce, the current site of the Middleborough Police Department. In the small hall over the store, as they sat upon boxes and crates, they optimistically prayed, with steadfast faith for a Catholic Church in Middleborough. Their prayers were answered in 1873 when land was acquired for the purpose of constructing a Catholic Church in Middleborough. The actual building however, was postponed for seven years due to financial problems. On July 12, 1881, Archbishop John Joseph Williams blessed the cornerstone and dedicated the small, humble but attractive wooden building: the Sacred Heart Church. In 1885 Sacred Heart was declared a separate parish. Today we are 125 years old!
I have been a lifelong member of Sacred Heart. I celebrated my baptism with Fr. Joseph P. Shea in 1963. I attended CCD here (in the Fr. Joseph P. Shea Center!) and celebrated all my first sacraments here. My first memories of Sacred Heart were of staring at the stain glass windows and marveling at the many colors. I always felt that on Easter Sunday God would add a little extra sunlight to stream into the windows to draw our attention to the depiction of the Crucifixion and the glory and new hope of resurrection.
I realize in adulthood that a parish is much more than a beautiful building to admire, it is a home, a family- a family formed in faith and love. As we celebrate our 125 years together as a family let us pray for those who came before us… those displaced, exiled Acadians who, in 1755, established a Catholic presence in Middleborough and remember those who built up the congregation in the years following. Let us remember all the parishioners who contributed their time, talent, and treasure to make Sacred Heart Parish what she is today.
Do you have a fond memory of Sacred Heart to share? As we begin our yearlong celebration I would like to ask you to share your memories of Sacred Heart, both past and present with us. We will share stories here and on my blog. Let us remember the past and go forward with much hope for the next millennium. –God Bless, Holly Clark
Happy Birthday Sacred Heart!
In 1870, church services were held monthly in the hall over the general store of Colonel Peter H. Pierce, the current site of the Middleborough Police Department. In the small hall over the store, as they sat upon boxes and crates, they optimistically prayed, with steadfast faith for a Catholic Church in Middleborough. Their prayers were answered in 1873 when land was acquired for the purpose of constructing a Catholic Church in Middleborough. The actual building however, was postponed for seven years due to financial problems. On July 12, 1881, Archbishop John Joseph Williams blessed the cornerstone and dedicated the small, humble but attractive wooden building: the Sacred Heart Church. In 1885 Sacred Heart was declared a separate parish. Today we are 125 years old!
I have been a lifelong member of Sacred Heart. I celebrated my baptism with Fr. Joseph P. Shea in 1963. I attended CCD here (in the Fr. Joseph P. Shea Center!) and celebrated all my first sacraments here. My first memories of Sacred Heart were of staring at the stain glass windows and marveling at the many colors. I always felt that on Easter Sunday God would add a little extra sunlight to stream into the windows to draw our attention to the depiction of the Crucifixion and the glory and new hope of resurrection.
I realize in adulthood that a parish is much more than a beautiful building to admire, it is a home, a family- a family formed in faith and love. As we celebrate our 125 years together as a family let us pray for those who came before us… those displaced, exiled Acadians who, in 1755, established a Catholic presence in Middleborough and remember those who built up the congregation in the years following. Let us remember all the parishioners who contributed their time, talent, and treasure to make Sacred Heart Parish what she is today.
Do you have a fond memory of Sacred Heart to share? As we begin our yearlong celebration I would like to ask you to share your memories of Sacred Heart, both past and present with us. We will share stories here and on my blog. Let us remember the past and go forward with much hope for the next millennium. –God Bless, Holly Clark
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A Father's Pentecost
A Father’s Pentecost
On Pentecost Sunday the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples in the upper room with the roar of a divine wind and in the form of tongues of fire. Each disciple is filled with the fire of the Spirit and ready to proclaim the good news of the risen Christ (Acts 2:2-4).
This past Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon me, my father and family. Our “upper room” was a hospital room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton. In the weeks prior to Pentecost my dad was gravely ill. We did not know whether he would live or not and was on total life support. My family and I huddled in our “upper room” in the hospital and prayed together for healing and peace. Like the disciples, we were lost and saddened at the prospect of losing a loved one forever.
On Pentecost Sunday (also my parents 51st wedding anniversary), my mom and I attended the 11 o’clock Mass, sang in the choir, prayed with our church family and went off to Good Samaritan to be with dad. In our upper room at Good Sam we experienced the descent of the Holy Spirit upon our family. When mom and I arrived we discovered that dad had been taken off the ventilator the day before and we found him sitting up in bed grinning from ear-to-ear wishing my mom a happy anniversary in his own voice. We knew the Holy Spirit was present! We knew dad would be okay. (Come Holy Spirit!) A long road of rehab awaits, but the gift of that day will always remain with us. At the end of the day, God gave us the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen, full of hot pinks and reds… the sky was afire with the Spirit! God was telling us, too, that all is well and He is with us always.
This Father’s Day I am so grateful to God for my dad, his wisdom, joyous nature and love for his family. So often we let our busy schedules get in the way of our loved ones. This Father’s Day let us take time out for our fathers to show them love and companionship. Let us pray for all fathers on this day and remember those fathers who are deceased. Let us greet the fathers we see at Mass today with love and encouragement. Happy Father’s Day and… …God Bless, Holly Clark
On Pentecost Sunday the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples in the upper room with the roar of a divine wind and in the form of tongues of fire. Each disciple is filled with the fire of the Spirit and ready to proclaim the good news of the risen Christ (Acts 2:2-4).
This past Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon me, my father and family. Our “upper room” was a hospital room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton. In the weeks prior to Pentecost my dad was gravely ill. We did not know whether he would live or not and was on total life support. My family and I huddled in our “upper room” in the hospital and prayed together for healing and peace. Like the disciples, we were lost and saddened at the prospect of losing a loved one forever.
On Pentecost Sunday (also my parents 51st wedding anniversary), my mom and I attended the 11 o’clock Mass, sang in the choir, prayed with our church family and went off to Good Samaritan to be with dad. In our upper room at Good Sam we experienced the descent of the Holy Spirit upon our family. When mom and I arrived we discovered that dad had been taken off the ventilator the day before and we found him sitting up in bed grinning from ear-to-ear wishing my mom a happy anniversary in his own voice. We knew the Holy Spirit was present! We knew dad would be okay. (Come Holy Spirit!) A long road of rehab awaits, but the gift of that day will always remain with us. At the end of the day, God gave us the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen, full of hot pinks and reds… the sky was afire with the Spirit! God was telling us, too, that all is well and He is with us always.
This Father’s Day I am so grateful to God for my dad, his wisdom, joyous nature and love for his family. So often we let our busy schedules get in the way of our loved ones. This Father’s Day let us take time out for our fathers to show them love and companionship. Let us pray for all fathers on this day and remember those fathers who are deceased. Let us greet the fathers we see at Mass today with love and encouragement. Happy Father’s Day and… …God Bless, Holly Clark
Friday, June 11, 2010
Holy Orders
Sacrament of Holy Orders
"The Priesthood is a call, not a career; a redefinition of self, not just a new ministry; a way of life, not a job; a state of being, not just a function; a permanent lifelong commitment, not a temporary style of service; an identity, not just a role. We are priests; yes the doing, the ministry, is mighty important, but it flows from the being; we can act like priests, minister as priests, preach as priests, because first and foremost we are priests! Being before act!"
-Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Priests for the Third Millennium
In most religions, there is a figure who presides, officiates and most especially offers worship on behalf of the people, one who is set apart in order to be a mediator between God and his people. Christ came to earth to live among us, teach us, guide us and to die for us, for the redemption of our sins. Christ gave us Peter and the apostles to carry on His priestly mission of salvation. A priest engages in people's lives at the most memorable times, both joyful and sorrowful - in baptisms and weddings, funerals and hospital visits. He celebrates the Eucharist with his congregation and brings comfort and meaning to modern day life in his homilies.
This past week concluded the Year of the Priest which ran from June 19th 2009 to June 11th 2010. During this past year we have honored and prayed for those men who received a calling to serve the Lord and we have prayed for young men who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. As the Year for the Priest draws to a close let us not lose our momentum… let us keep our priests in prayer and pray that more men will hear God’s call to serve. . –God Bless, Holly Clark
"The Priesthood is a call, not a career; a redefinition of self, not just a new ministry; a way of life, not a job; a state of being, not just a function; a permanent lifelong commitment, not a temporary style of service; an identity, not just a role. We are priests; yes the doing, the ministry, is mighty important, but it flows from the being; we can act like priests, minister as priests, preach as priests, because first and foremost we are priests! Being before act!"
-Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Priests for the Third Millennium
In most religions, there is a figure who presides, officiates and most especially offers worship on behalf of the people, one who is set apart in order to be a mediator between God and his people. Christ came to earth to live among us, teach us, guide us and to die for us, for the redemption of our sins. Christ gave us Peter and the apostles to carry on His priestly mission of salvation. A priest engages in people's lives at the most memorable times, both joyful and sorrowful - in baptisms and weddings, funerals and hospital visits. He celebrates the Eucharist with his congregation and brings comfort and meaning to modern day life in his homilies.
This past week concluded the Year of the Priest which ran from June 19th 2009 to June 11th 2010. During this past year we have honored and prayed for those men who received a calling to serve the Lord and we have prayed for young men who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. As the Year for the Priest draws to a close let us not lose our momentum… let us keep our priests in prayer and pray that more men will hear God’s call to serve. . –God Bless, Holly Clark
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Memorial Day
Lest We Forget…
"We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. ... Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic."
Gen. John A. Logan, 1868
This weekend we remember our deceased veterans, persons who have given service and their lives for God and our country. As I walk through a cemetery I often pause at a veteran marker and ponder what war they have been in, whether they died in the line of fire, or made it home to their loved ones safely, or, perhaps, made it home but badly wounded physically, mentally and/or spiritually. As I stop at their graves, I say a little prayer for their souls and thank them for their service. Anyone who has ever visited the Arlington National Cemetery, or the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, would be awed by the shear numbers of deceased veterans. From my family… I am grateful to my grandfather who served in the Army Bushmasters Unit in WWII in the Philippines and to my father who served in the Navy on the USS Shangri-La Carrier during the Korean War. (Both my dad and grandfather are still with us!)
So often we see this three-day weekend in May as the start of summer sun and fun not as the memorial it is. Today let us remember our veterans, both living and deceased. When we meet a veteran today let us embrace them and share their pains and joys of service. Let us pray for an end of war and the beginning of world peace... –God Bless, Holly Clark
"We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. ... Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic."
Gen. John A. Logan, 1868
This weekend we remember our deceased veterans, persons who have given service and their lives for God and our country. As I walk through a cemetery I often pause at a veteran marker and ponder what war they have been in, whether they died in the line of fire, or made it home to their loved ones safely, or, perhaps, made it home but badly wounded physically, mentally and/or spiritually. As I stop at their graves, I say a little prayer for their souls and thank them for their service. Anyone who has ever visited the Arlington National Cemetery, or the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, would be awed by the shear numbers of deceased veterans. From my family… I am grateful to my grandfather who served in the Army Bushmasters Unit in WWII in the Philippines and to my father who served in the Navy on the USS Shangri-La Carrier during the Korean War. (Both my dad and grandfather are still with us!)
So often we see this three-day weekend in May as the start of summer sun and fun not as the memorial it is. Today let us remember our veterans, both living and deceased. When we meet a veteran today let us embrace them and share their pains and joys of service. Let us pray for an end of war and the beginning of world peace... –God Bless, Holly Clark
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