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.
I want to thank everyone for being here this morning for this Mass of Remembrance.  We are very used to coming together as a parish family to celebrate the life of one of our parishioners who has died but often when a sibling, a cousin, an aunt, a uncle, a child, grandchild or close friend dies somewhere else, we miss the comfort and support of our parish family.  This Mass gives everyone that has lost a loved one over the past year the chance to come together as a family and comfort and support each other.  I read the longer version of  the Gospel this morning because there is a line in it that is so often overlooked and yet it says exactly why we are here this morning.  “Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.  Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.”  People have always understood that in a time of loss it is critical for a community to come together to support those grieving.  And so, as Martha and Mary’s friends came to support them, we are here to support each other.

Each one of these candles represents a precious gift, a precious memory.  Because these lives were so precious, our hearts are torn.  Every time we think about them we feel the loss again.  That is exactly what that first reading from the Book of Lamentations described.  “My soul is deprived of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is; I tell myself my future is lost, all that I hoped for from the Lord.  Remembering it over and over leaves my soul downcast within me.”  Doesn’t that describe how we often feel?  I have forgotten what happiness is.  I tell myself my future is lost.  But we can not stop there, we have to read the next lines.  “The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent:  The favors of the Lord are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness. My portion is the Lord, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”  Sometimes in the midst of our grief it seems like all is lost, how can we possibly keep going?  But God has never and will never leave our side.  Great is his faithfulness.  What do we have to do?  Hope in God, hope in his great love for us, hope in his care for us.  There will still be times when a memory, an anniversary, a birthday, holiday, touches our heart and it hurts, brings back tears.  But if we hope in God, He will heal our hearts.

I hope you noticed that when I talked about these candles and the lives they represent I described them as gifts, precious gifts.  That is what each one truly is, a gift from God, given to each of you.  So often with our loved ones we begin to think that they are ours, they belong to me.  You can hear it in Martha’s language - my brother.  As if to say he is mine and you, God, took him away from me.  But the truth is they were never really ours, they always belonged to God.  And God gave each one of those lives to us as a gift; to cherish, to love, to care for until they returned to God.  Realizing that changes the whole way we look at the death of our loved one.  In some small way our sorrow turns into gratitude, thanks to God for the wonderful gift he gave us.  Thanks that our loved one was able to be part of our life, our family.  And because we were united with them in this life, thanks that we will again be united with them in the next life.

It is easier to say this than to believe it sometimes, especially in times of great sorrow, hurt and pain.  It takes faith.  A faith that says, like Martha, yes Lord I do believe that everyone who lives and believes in you will never die.  That is my prayer for all of us today.  That we can say, yes Lord, I do believe.  I believe that out of your great love for me you gave me someone to cherish and to be cherished by.  Someone to love and be loved by.  Although they have returned to you, I believe that we will live together forever with you in eternal happiness.  That is a reason to not just remember but to celebrate!

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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