Those Who Have Not Yet Seen...

Those Who Have Not Seen… And Yet Believed…

On Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Christ and we begin a period of waiting for the “fullness of time” when we will see Him again. Death, then, will truly be no more as we are all reunited with our Father and loved ones who have gone before us. This is our faith.

In the days shortly, after the Resurrection, Jesus’ disciples and followers believed that the “fullness of time” or “end times” were upon them and would see Christ’s second coming within their own lifetimes. They prayed and waited. They passed on the Gospels orally and prayed some more. But Christ did not come. Soon another generation was to come along and Jesus’ could have become a footnote in history. His early followers, however, obeyed His command to “go forth and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). Oral tradition was passed on and the Scriptures were written down and Christ became known to all.

Many generations have come and gone since the resurrection. We are still waiting and praying for the second coming of Christ. We have not seen Christ in the way that the disciples did, in the flesh, but yet we believe. Thomas, in today’s Gospel, did not believe until Jesus appeared to him. Thomas needed reassurance of Jesus’ resurrection. He needed to feel the holes in His hands, only then did He believe. We have not seen, like Thomas, but yet we believe.

Today we do not “see” Jesus in the flesh with our eyes but we do know He exists. We have not yet seen but yet we believe. Jesus is with us every day. His hand is on your shoulder guiding you and His face shines upon you. He laughs with you and cries with you. Today take some time, close your eyes, be still, and feel Jesus beside you and know He is with you always…

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
John 20:29

God Bless, Holly Clark

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

Who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink’?

Remembering Japan

In today’s Gospel (John 4), Jesus is thirsty and asks the first person he sees for water. This woman is a Samaritan and in those days certain cultural groups just did not mix. Jesus was Jewish and she was a Samaritan, two groups that did not mix or dwell together. Jesus replied to her that if she only knew who He was (Son of God) that she herself would never thirst again. The woman had some sense that she was talking to a very special man, one who was willing to share water, conversation, and friendship with her, putting aside all cultural and religious differences. Jesus was in need of water to quench His human thirst and she was in need of “water” (living water) to quench her spiritual thirst.

As I read this Gospel I find myself thinking of the Japanese people. A proud nation facing unthinkable devastation and unbearable suffering. Looking into their faces on the tv news reports I see a terrible sadness but yet also resilience and hope. They may be too proud to verbally ask us for “a drink” but their eyes say it all. They are “thirsty” and need “living water.”

During Lent, we are asked to pray, fast and give alms. I ask you today to pause and reflect upon people in your life who may be thirsty, thirsty for basic needs, company, and spiritual fulfillment. I ask you to think of ways to provide the living water of Jesus to those who need Him so desperately. Remember those in Japan who need your prayers and alms. Perhaps you could dedicate a personal fast as well to show solidarity with those in Japan who may be starving and dehydrated. Let us open our hearts and give them drink as Jesus would. By sharing the Living Water Jesus quells our thirst as well. So… pause and look around… who is asking you for a drink?
God Bless, Holly Clark

Transfigure Us, O Lord...

And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
Mt 17:3

Oh how don’t wish you could climb up a mountain, feel God’s presence and look to the sky and be transfigured by God into the person you were meant to be? Wouldn’t it be joyous? Doesn’t this sound a bit dreamlike and not within the reach of reality? So often in our society we look to instant gratification, joy, communications. Nothing seems to take any time at all. We look to self help books, Google, Facebook, advice from friends in search of instant answers. We don’t want to wait for solutions to our problems and we lose patience with ourselves.

During Lent we are asked to be patient. Answers to our faith longings cannot be instantly obtained as easily we would like (i.e. receiving a text message from God!) Jesus spent 40 days in the desert while His faith was being tested and tempted by Satan. During Lent we are asked to walk with Jesus in the desert. We are asked to reflect upon our lives and examine where Satan is tempting us in our lives. We need to be patient with ourselves and to not expect instant answers to our faith.

Each one of us will walk a different path in the desert. One of us will see nothing but dirt and dust, another will see small signs of life in the cracks and still another will see nothing but joy in the challenge of walking in a desolate landscape. No one will find instant answers to life and after our 40 day journey we may find ourselves with more questions than answers. Our desert journey is just the beginning to our own transfiguration. We are fortunate to have Jesus as our guide and companion. As we travel our road to Easter and the joy of new life, let us remember that our transfiguration will come, in time… be still… and you will someday wake up, look in a mirror and see your face shining like the sun… transfigured in joy and love.
God Bless, Holly Clark

Become What You Think and Do?

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent. Lent is a time for reflection upon our lives and our relationship with the Father and Son. As we begin Lent I would ask you to take some time to quietly sit and reflect upon your life. Ask yourself what takes up the most time in your lives and what occupies your thoughts. Family, careers, worries? Then ask yourselves where does God fit in… is He even there?

Back in the eighties, with my first career in the medical sciences, I tended to look at life in terms of science. Looking at a flower, I would think of my botany class. Looking at the ocean I’d think of ecosystems. Later when I tried my hand at graphic design I looked at life with the eye of an artist. I saw everything in terms of shapes and colors. Getting a job in graphic design was very difficult and my life seemed to be a bit empty. I started volunteering my graphic design skills here at Sacred Heart and suddenly my life seemed much fuller! I was being exposed to new thoughts and ideas. I started reading Scripture and finally started understanding what our faith is all about. I started looking at my life and the world around me with a new lens. Now as I look around me I still see things in terms of science and art but now I thank God for giving us the beauty of science and nature. I still see life surrounded by color and shapes and I thank God for His paintbrush of Nature.

As I reflect upon my life this Lent, I am finding myself enriched by the Living Word. I try to see the world as Jesus would. I look at seed and think of the Parable of the Sower; at a recent wedding, the miracle at Cana; at a blind man- I think of Jesus’ healings… This Lent break open the Sunday scriptures and see where Scripture fits in your life. Scripture is a living word, a glimpse into God’s world. This Lent, ask Jesus to be your guide to life. Your eyes will be opened and your heart will be filled. As I look around me I see God’s world, God’s handiwork… in the smile of child, in the change of seasons, in the sky, in my family and friends, and in each of you.
God Bless, Holly Clark

Where is your Heart and Mind?

Even now, says the LORD, return to me
with your whole heart… -Joel 2:12

The first reading for Ash Wednesday, from Joel, asks us to return to the LORD with our whole heart. As we begin Lent we are beginning a new program called “Catholics Come Home.” We are inviting those who have drifted away from the Catholic faith to come celebrate and share our faith once again. I ask you to examine your hearts and try to recall a time when you were separated from your faith and remember what it was that brought you back. Was it an invitation from a friend, a kindly welcoming smile from a parishioner or perhaps you were in a crisis and the Church helped you overcome grief or economic hardship? In my early adulthood (seems like eons ago) I had drifted away and what brought me back was my love of music. A new choir was forming and though I had no idea even if I could sing, I joined after hearing God’s invitation. From that point on, 19 years ago, I started an incredible journey, arm-in-arm with the Lord.

On Ash Wednesday, and throughout Lent and Triduum, we will meet many people who have drifted away from the faith. How will you welcome them home? Will we be upset because they “took my pew” or will we smile warmly and say a silent prayer for them. Will we welcome them with open hearts and minds? St. Paul tells us that “We are ambassadors for Christ…” (2 Cor 5:20). How will we carry out this awesome task? Open your hearts! Open your minds! Open up a highway to God that all may travel!

I am looking forward to this Lent and Triduum as opportunities arise to show our love for one another with the Lord. I look forward to seeing new people and welcoming them to the Sacred Heart and St. Rose faith communities. I look forward to shouting “Alleluia! He is risen!” at Easter-time with our new family members. Only together can we build our highway to God.
God Bless, Holly Clark