Be Filled With the Holy Spirit!

Be Filled With the Holy Spirit!

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
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Acts 2:1-4

Whenever I read this passage I find myself going back in time. I picture myself as one of those who gathered in the upper room. I ask myself, would I have been frightened by the noise of the strong wind, the flames above our heads and suddenly be speaking in tongues? Picture yourself there… in the upper room… are you afraid? Or are you feeling joy within the love of God? Coming back to today, have you ever felt filled by the Holy Spirit in your lives?

The Holy Spirit comes to us in many shapes and forms- not always in the likeness of wind and flames. The Spirit can come from deep within, from high above and through the people we meet. I have experienced the Holy Spirit in all these ways. My first experience in being filled by the Spirit was in December of 2007. I was at Rhode Island Hospital, awaiting a medical procedure that was running late. I was in the waiting area, alone, nervously watching out the window as a freak blizzard was forming. Suddenly, I felt a rush of warmth and joy pulse through me. I had no reason at all to feel happy at that moment, but yet I did! I felt there was a divine presence next to me, hugging me- telling me all is well. I felt I was briefly at one with the Holy Spirit.

Since then I have felt and seen the Holy Spirit all around me: at Mass, at Religious Ed registration, at school, with my family and friends, and in each of you. We all have a tongue of flame hovering over our heads. Invite the Holy Spirit into your open heart and mind. Be filled with the Holy Spirit—You’ll never regret it!

God Bless, Holly Clark

Impatient!

Impatient!

Have you found yourself growing more and more impatient lately? In this day and age of instant communications, and world-wide-web instant knowledge, I often find myself very impatient: “Why hasn’t Jane answered my e-mail yet? Where is John that he can’t return my phone call? Why is my internet taking forever to download a song?” And do you also tend to multitask while waiting? When you are conversing with someone do you ever have the sudden urge to check your cell phone for the latest texts? (You wouldn’t want to miss anything!) And as I write this I have four other programs running in the background on my laptop! Somehow, I think, if Jesus were here today, he would be turning off the technology. He’d probably use it to spread the good news but would turn it off to be with people face-to-face.

This spring I am going to work on slowing down, having patience and maybe relax a bit. Summer is coming and we want to be rid of our manic impatience… Won’t you join me in a prayer for patience this month and next?

The Greatest Prayer is Patience …

Lord, teach me to be patient – with life, with people, and with myself. I sometimes try to hurry things along too much, and I push for answers before the time is right. Teach me to trust Your sense of timing rather than my own and to surrender my will to Your greater and wiser plan. Help me let life unfold slowly, like the small rosebud whose petals unravel bit by bit, and remind me that in hurrying the bloom along, I destroy the bud and much of the beauty therein.

Instead, let me wait for all to unfold in its own time. Each moment and state of growth contains a loveliness. Teach me to slow down enough to appreciate life and all it holds. Amen.

Prayer Source: Unknown

Originally Posted on: A Catholic Life

 God Bless, Holly Clark

Love!
Beloved, let us love one another… 1 Jn4:7

Today’s readings all focus upon love. The Father’s love for us; the Son’s love for us; and the love we share for one another. How do you experience God’s love? Do you ever slow down enough to think about it?

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately about the Father’s and the Son’s love for us. I’ve been to a few meetings and workshops lately on a variety of ministerial subjects. People from parishes all over the Archdiocese come together in fellowship to share ideas, and to pray and worship together. In these meetings I will often close my eyes for a moment or two and try to feel Jesus’ presence in the room. The last time I did this I heard Jesus’ voice tell me—“feel the love in the room.” I closed my eyes once more and concentrated upon the presence of those around me. I felt a surge of warmth as I became aware of the love of so many people. I was buoyed up in joy!

Love and joy are all around you. In our busyness we often forget to stop, pause and reflect upon God’s love and the love of others towards us. Take time this week to be in a group of people, close your eyes: feel their presence, feel their love, and experience the love of God. Love truly does make the world go ‘round!

God Bless, Holly Clark

You Are the Branches

I am the vine, you are the branches...

John 15:5

The above quote from John is one of my favorite images from the Gospel. Jesus is the vine and we are His branches. Just how awesome is that? We are all connected to Jesus and He with us; but have you ever realized this means, too, that we are all connected to one another? Connected in and through Christ? We, in turn, often become a vine for others to become branches as we bring closer those who have not yet heard the Gospel message.

Jesus is the vine and I am but one of His branches reaching out to others. Not too long ago I built a Facebook page for our parish and our first subscribers were from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Zambia, South Africa, Turkey, France and a few others. I was deeply humbled that from my small desk here at Sacred Heart that we could reach out to the world. I truly feel like a branch reaching out to others to connect them to Christ. We publish the daily readings and inspirational quotes and videos, post parish events, and one parishioner posts tips on bringing the faith to our children. Jesus called us to go into the world and spread the Gospel from land-to-land. We are His branches, His hands and His voice.

This week, take some time to contemplate being a branch off of Christ’s vine. Do you feel a connection to the vine? Do you feel a kinship with the other branches? Or do you see yourself being a part of the vine and reaching out to connect more branches, those who are not as close to Christ? Go and make a difference… stretch out your branches with the love of Christ and pray that more branches will grow.

God Bless, Holly Clark

The Lord Has Done Great Things for Us

What Have You’ve
Done for the Lord Lately?
"The Lord has done great things for us,
We are filled with gladness and joy.”
Jaime Cortez, based on Psalm 126

 As we enter into the season of Spring I am filled with gladness and joy. The Lord has His paintbrush out painting the trees and flowers all sorts of colors, the air is fresh and there is a sense of renewal for me as Spring reminds me of the joy of new life. At this time of year I often pick up a dainty flower and ponder its intricate beauty. Benjamin Disraeli once said “Nature is the art of God.” God gives us the beauty of the earth, sky and seas and the ultimate miracle of life.

As I read Psalm 126 I ask myself “What have I done for the Lord lately? Do I deserve to be filled with gladness and joy? I look at my life and try to see where I can reciprocate God’s gifts to me. I ask you… how do you spend your time? Is it caught up in the minutia of life… the unimportant things in the world… or is it spent in the Lord’s service? How do you give back to the Lord for your gladness and joy?

This Springl when you look into a new green leaf or feel that irresistible urge to admire the flowers blossoming, contemplate how you will give back to God for your happiness and joy. How will you make God joyful today? God gives us so much of His time and energies in order for us to be happy. Consider giving back of your time to God in service and prayer. Consider donating some time to ministry or to a lonely person. Be creative! Let us also commit ourselves to filling others with gladness and joy.

God Bless, Holly Clark

Ode to Joy!

Ode to Joy!

Jesus is risen! Alleliuia! The trees are budding; flowers are blossoming; the sun is shining brightly through my window and I hear a bird chirping nearby! We have left the dark wilderness of Lent behind and discovering new life around us as a joyous spring bursts through our winter doldrums.

I found myself celebrating joy a bit earlier than Easter day this year. As we began our Triduum Celebration I found myself overjoyed at seeing a full Church on Holy Thursday. So many families came to join us as we began our journey with Christ to the cross. At the end of the Mass we processed out into the darkness to walk with Jesus, to stay awake with Him, but our footsteps were guided by luminaries and teens holding lit candles. My spirit soared seeing so many hearts gathering to walk with Jesus and to stay with Him in the Garden.

 
On Good Friday, our Lord is crucified. A solemn day indeed, but, we already know what happens next. We suffer with Jesus through His passion but unlike the first disciples, who had no concept of life after death, we know Jesus will be resurrected in three days breaking the chains of death.
 

And Lo! Easter morning arrives! Our Lord is risen and our Church is filled to the rafters! I attended the 11 am Mass at Sacred Heart and felt Christ’s presence in my heart and in the hearts of those around me. I thought back to the thousands of Easter mornings in time past, to all the preceding Catholics who have celebrated Christ’s Resurrection on Easter. Imagine! We are all connected through time and space through the Eucharist! The real presence of Christ! What better ode to joy is there than our resurrected Savior and His Presence with us every day of our lives?

May you all have a blessed Easter Season, Holly Clark

My Heart is Burning!

My Heart is Burning!

“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24: 32

Today, as I read today’s Gospel, I picture myself on the road to Emmaus… won’t you join me? Close your eyes for a few moments and picture the scene… Jesus has just been crucified, buried in a tomb, but is no longer in the tomb. Where could He be? This is the topic of our conversation on the road to Emmaus. Rumors are abounding… Roman conspiracy, angels, grave-robbing? And lo… a fellow traveler comes along and joins our conversation… Can you imagine? Someone who has not heard the news of Jesus death and disappearance? As we fill in the stranger on the goings on in Jerusalem we feel warmth in our hearts. We do not know why but this stranger seems to know us. The stranger explains to us what was written in scripture has just been fulfilled. We are astonished… How could this stranger know?

As evening comes we invite the stranger to dine with us. He breaks the bread, gives it to us and provides us the blessing. It is now our eyes are opened! Jesus is with us! We also realize He was with us all along! It was He who caused our hearts to burn as He quoted scripture to us on our journey to Emmaus! As I lay myself to sleep I can’t help but think how often Jesus walks with us, talks with us, and carries us and we do not recognize Him… He comes to us in many forms… in scripture, in our family, in our friends and neighbors and in our hearts. We need only open our eyes, our minds and our hearts. The next time you feel your heart burning you will know Jesus is with you. Alelieuia!

A Blessed Easter to you all… Holly Clark

Palm Sunday

Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Today begins Jesus’ journey to the cross. I want you to get comfy for a few minutes and travel back with me to early Jerusalem… picture yourself an early follower of Christ. You have heard His words, seen Him heal the sick and love the poor. You are inspired! Today, you know, is special. You are in Jerusalem and there is excitement in the air! You wave palms and join in the crowd shouting Hosanna! You catch a glimpse of Jesus riding a young colt, riding triumphantly into the front door of Jerusalem. You feel such joy! You go to bed that night warm in the joy and love of Jesus.

A little while later, you feel dread in the air. You hear rumors of a trial. “Can it be true? Jesus, a criminal? You go to where such trials are held and you catch a glimpse of Pilate saying some words but you do not quite hear. The crowd around you is shouting “Crucify Him!” You start to feel conflicted… Do you go with the crowd in condemning Jesus or do you defend Him, possibly with your life?

Take some time today and think about this when we read the Passion today and on Good Friday. Put yourself in the crowd, asking the same questions as the early followers of Christ. We, in this century, have the benefit of knowing Christ was resurrected three days after His death and we know that all of this had to occur so that God’s plan of salvation for us could happen and death would be no more.

In our lives very often we face tragedy. We feel deeply our own pain and the suffering of others. But so often there is joy to come after the suffering. God flooded the earth and gave us the rainbow, a symbol of hope and joy. On the Cross, the Father gave us his Son’s life- a sign of his everlasting love. Look for joy, hope, and love in every sadness--- this is our Lord’s desire for us in the Easter season.

God Bless, Holly Clark