He is Risen! Death is No More!

He is Risen! Death is No More!

Alleliuia! He is Risen! Every Lent we travel with Jesus on His journey to the Cross. On Holy Thursday we dine with Him and agonize with Him in the Garden. On Good Friday we share His pain as we witness His trial and journey to His execution; we want to help carry His cross and ease His suffering; we watch in sadness as He dies on the Cross. On Holy Saturday we keep Vigil over His tomb… somewhere, in the back of our minds, we pray that He really isn’t dead. On Easter Sunday, we awake to find an empty tomb… Where can He be? He is Risen… body and soul. He has conquered sin. He has conquered death itself. He has given us new life.

Many of us know the story of Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection, but have you ever taken the time to pause and reflect upon what it all means to you personally? How it all relates to you and your life?

I recently took some time to reflect on Christ’s journey to the resurrection and what it means to me in my life. Christ has conquered death! Last August my father passed away after being ill for some months. As I struggled with my pain, I asked God many times, “Why? Why do we suffer so when we lose a loved one?” Especially when, by our faith, I should be celebrating that Dad is with Jesus in heaven. Jesus has conquered death, after all. But those left behind still feel the pain of loss, just we feel the pain of Jesus death.

As I journey with Jesus this past Holy Week I am also reflecting back and journeying with my Dad. I am walking with Him on His journey to meet Jesus, his hand in mine. The lesson of the Cross gives me hope that I will see my father again in the fullness of time. And we know Christ’s death brought us new life. My Dad is also giving me new life now in so many different ways. He is in my heart and my soul and still inspiring me to be the person I was born to be.

Today, take some time to remember lost loved ones. Their suffering is over and they are in Heaven today, helping Jesus to take care of you from above. I guarantee it!

Have a Blessed Easter, Holly Clark

Imaginative Prayer

Imaginative Prayer

In our Women in God’s Spirit Group we have been exploring Imaginative Prayer. Imaginative Prayer is a prayer technique in which we open up a piece of scripture, read it through a couple of times, and then imagine yourself “in the scene.”

Right now, let us travel back in time to the time of Christ. Let us read and reflect upon Matthew 26:14-27:66 the Gospel Reading for Palm Sunday. Let us travel with Jesus during His final days. Read over the scripture, or a part of it, and imagine yourself as one of His disciples, or perhaps just a simple bystander… what are you seeing in the scene? Are you feeling sadness because you know what will soon happen to our Lord? Or do you feel triumphant because soon death shall be no more? Take yourself deep into your imagination. Smell the smells, touch the trees, talk with Jesus. Let us take time to be with Jesus this week in the Garden of Gethsemane. Let us tell Jesus He is not alone in His vigil and let us walk with Him on the journey to the cross. And then… let us remember… that Jesus travels with us as we each carry our own crosses. Have a Blessed Holy Week, Holly Clark

Stumbling Along

If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. – John 11:9-10 How is your Lent going? Now that we are over half way through, do you find yourself stumbling in the dark or have you found yourself enlightened and walking steadily in Jesus footsteps? I will bet that most of you (and me!) will answer that you are stumbling along. When we first begin our Lenten journey we are filled with hope and determination. We decide what we will “do” for Lent by way of prayer, alms service and sacrifice. Then we get to weeks four and five and we truly feel as if we are stumbling along in the dark. We find we must have that piece of chocolate we gave up for Lent (for me… popcorn!). We promised to pray every day but “forgot” to pray yesterday and the day before. And now we may feel like failures in the eyes of our Lord and give up on ourselves entirely.

Our Lenten journey can be a rough one, but we need to remember, Jesus walked this same journey 2000 years ago. He went into the desert and there Satan tried to make Him stumble. When you feel like you are stumbling, grab Jesus’ hand. He will pull you up. Don’t let go! Let Jesus be your guide. He has walked this journey once and He has walked with you since you were a baby. Let Christ’s light into your heart and He will guide your way and you shall stumble no more. God Bless, Holly Clark

Living as Children of Light

In today’s second reading from Ephesians (Eph 5:8-14), Paul states: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.” How do you live as a child of light? What does it mean, to live as a child of light? You might think being a child of the light is a worthy goal to attain but you are not yet ready to be called a child of the light, which is to say a person who embodies Christ and does everything right… goes to Church, prays, fasts, gives alms and service, loves everyone (enemies included) and lives a virtuous life. But who among us is perfect?

Last weekend, after receiving the Eucharist, I watched every person that passed by me, after they had received. At the time I was thinking we are all children of the light, the Light of Christ. In every one of your faces I could see into your hearts,… I could see the glow of Christ’s light emanating from you. You may not feel it, nor may you see it in others… but… it IS there! Think of it! Every time we receive the Eucharist we are feeding our souls and adding to our inner light and warmth. We are slowly being transformed into the Children of Light.

As we travel the barren desert with Jesus this Lent, let us be mindful of the Light of Christ. Let us pause and gaze into one another’s hearts and see Christ’s Light in our friends, family and strangers. Let us all live as Children of the Light, in love and peace… God Bless, Holly Clark