Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Click here for information on the 2024 LOSH Charity Golf Scramble held on Monday, April 22, 2024.


Click here for information on the Knights of Columbus Charity Golf Tournament held on Saturday, June 15, 2024.



Eucharistic logo cropped Check out the new SHJ web page for the National Eucharistic Revival.
Two weeks ago we talked about blessing others.  We said to bless someone, especially those that look up to us, those that have less than us, is first of all to see them, to really see them.  To look at them in a way that they sense they are truly being recognized and acknowledged as God’s children.  To look at them in a way that says, You are my beloved child, in you I take great delight.  And that is true.  But there is more to blessing.  If we really want to bless someone, we must in some way, be willing to suffer for that person so that they can have more life.  Good parents do that for their children.  In all sorts of ways they sacrifice their lives for their children.  They give up some of their life so their children can have more life.  Good spouses do that for each other.  Good teachers do that for their students.  Good doctors and nurses do that for their patients.

And God did that for us.  That is what we hear about in today’s readings - how we are blessed by God’s self-sacrificing love for us.  A love so great that he entered history, took on flesh to be one of us, to show us how we were meant to live, to show us what true love looks like.  A love that is willing to suffer and even die, for us.  God’s story is a story of self-sacrificing love.  That word, sacrifice, is really at the heart of Christianity.  It comes from two latin words, sacra meaning holy and facere the verb to make.  So to sacrifice is to make something holy.  Now you don’t make yourself holy; Christ’s sacrifice doesn’t make him holy.  When you sacrifice you make someone else holy.  You bless them.  Blessing and sacrifice are intimately linked.  Maybe an example will help.

Your spouse is sick and you stay by their side night and day.  You drive them to the ER, sit there with them for hours.  You bring them home, care for them, run to the drug store to get medicine.  You are exhausted, worn out, tired.  You sacrifice, patiently and lovingly.  And that sacrifice becomes a blessing to others.  It inspires others, teaches other, often our children, what true love looks like.  They are blessed to see true love in action.  Sacrifice, patiently and lovingly borne unleashes the power to make holy, to bless,all those it touches. It releases a force in the world that can change people.  Think of Martin Luther King and the sacrifices he made, the sufferings he bore, patiently, lovingly, bravely and how it changed people’s hearts, changed the course of history in the U.S.  His sacrifices were a blessing to us.

Now think about our first reading from Isaiah.  If he gives his life as an offering for sin, the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him and through his suffering, my servant shall justify many.  The Lord’s sacrifice, freely and loving given, allows others to be saved, to be blessed.  To be made holy.  Next the Gospel.  As usual, the disciples seem to have missed the point completely.  They are worried about honor and power, who is going to be greatest, who is going to be right next to God.  What does Christ say?  Whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.  For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for manyWhat will Jesus do?  He will suffer, sacrifice, in order to redeem us.  His sacrifice will make us holy.  His sacrifice will be a blessing to us.

Here’s the question for us:  Do we want to bless someone?  Are we willing to sacrifice, suffer even just a little bit, for someone else?  Are we willing to sacrifice our time to visit the sick or homebound?  Are we willing to spend a little more time driving someone to church or a meeting?  Would we give up a fancy dinner to send the money instead to Catholic Relief Services for Syrian refugees who have nothing to eat?

May we see those around us, be willing to sacrifice for them.  And bless them.

Latest News!

Mass Times

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday   9:00 am
Wednesday   4:00 pm
First Saturday   9:00 am
Saturday    5:00 pm 
Sunday   8:00 am
10:00 am
Holy Day Vigil (with obligation) As announced
Holy Day (with or without obligation)   9:00 am


Confession Schedule
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:40 to 8:55 am
Wednesday 3:30 to 3:50 pm
Saturday 4:00 to 4:45 pm
By Appointment Call Pastor