Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Welcoming new members into the family through a birth, a marriage, or a baptism is a happy time that fills a family with hope and new possibilities for the future.  One sad reality of the age demographics of this wonderful parish, is the fact that we rarely have infant baptisms and in most years, we have no young person or adult to baptize at the Easter Vigil.  I wish there were some way that we could borrow someone from one of the local parishes who is to be baptized at the Easter Vigil and let him or her by Baptized, Confirmed and receive First Communion on that holy night here.  After all, each person who is baptized in the Catholic Church is becoming a part of God's family of Catholics around the world.  It would be a visible reminder to us that not only did Christ rise from the dead on the "third day" to live forever, so all the newly-baptized rise (out of the waters of Baptism) to a new life that is destined to eternal life with the Lord.  At the Easter Vigil, ALL Catholics are given the opportunity to renew their baptismal promises and recommit themselves to live in and with the Lord and bring Him to others, both believers and unbelievers, ever rejoicing in the Lord's gift of eternal life for all who believe in Him as the Resurrection of the Life.

Please consider participating in the whole of the Triduum (starting Holy Thursday night, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. and Good Friday, March 25, at 3:00 p.m., and the Easter Vigil, March 26, at 8:00 p.m.  I know that the Vigil starts late (as it MUST begin after nightfall) and is the longest liturgy of the year, but it is also the most different, beautiful and meaningful liturgy of the year and well worth the time, energy and faith that we put into it.  PLEASE won't you come. Pray about it, and I will be praying, not only that we have someone for Baptism at next year's Vigil, but that more of the already baptized here and throughout the world will discover or rediscover the lasting blessings that flow to those who live in the "Light of Christ" all year long.
Do you know someone who has left the Church?  Most of us do not have to look very far to find non-practicing Catholics in our circle of family and/or friends.  Many of us are concerned about these people, but we do not know how to help them.  Obviously, most of them are searching, but how can we hlep them find their way back home?

As baptized, practicing Catholics, we have a precious gift of faith and love from the Lord that needs to be shared with our non-practicing Catholic brothers and sisters.  First, we need to pray for them.  Next, we need to extend a personal invitation to them to come home to the Catholic Church.  Most non-practicing Catholics are waiting for an invitation to return.  Many mistakenly think they are excommunicated and are not welcome to return for a variety of reasons.  Many non-practicing Catholics carry with them a tremendous amount of guilt and misinformation about the Church and are afraid of approaching the Church for fear of being rejected.  You can make a tremendous difference in someone's life, simply by reaching out to them and telling them that we miss them and would like for them to come back home to our Church family.  Jesus said that He has come to seek out those who were lost and we should do the same.

Here at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church we have a special program to help non-practicing Catholics return to the Church entitled "Catholics Returning Home."  In a series of four sessions, we will share information and answer questions that the attendees may have about the Catholic faith.  We will provide a hospitable setting that will hopefully bless those who come, whether they end up coming back to the Catholic faith or going in another direction.  The start date for the first session is Wednesday, April 13 at 10:00 a.m. in one of our classrooms.  Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested or have them call Deacon Larry Lipsmeyer at 922-3283 or e-mail him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
I hope it's a good sign that some of the words that are sung over and over again in the song "Change Me" that played at the beginning and end of my homily last weekend, continue to echo in my mind (and I hope, some in yours as well).  All of us would benefit and be blessed if we prayed the words "Change me, change me, God won't you change," our whole life long.  Until the moment we breathe our last, God is ready to "Change Us" for the better.  At the beginning of last Sunday's Gospel story of the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36), we were told that Jesus "changed in appearance" while He was praying.  After the experience of the Transfiguration, the apostles Peter, James and John were, no doubt, changed in the way they saw and listened to Jesus.  We, too, can be changed by Jesus, especially during and after the times that we pray.

This coming Friday into Saturday morning, holds a special opportunity for prayer and change in many people as we are urged by our Holy Father Pope Francis to join Cathoics throughout the world in prayer during a 24-hour period starting with morning Mass on First Friday, March 4, at 9:00 a.m. and ending with First Saturday Mass at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, March 5.  Jesus said: "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst."  (Matthew 18:19-20).  Can you imagine how many blessings will come when countless people gather in unison on the same day for prayer throughout the world.  Won't you be one of them, whether it's for a few minutes or a whole hour sometime during the twenty-four hour period that's been designated by our Holy Father.  Jesus will be present in the Monstrance in our church all day that Friday and in the Perpetual Eucharistic Chapel after the Stations of the Cross (which starts at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in church) until morning.  If you need the code to get into the church in the evening or overnight hours, ask me or one of our evening or overnight adorers.  Also, PLEASE NOTE that I and/or Father Mike will be available to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with anyone individually every other hour starting at 11:00 a.m. and ending at 8:00 p.m.  I pray the Lord will lead some of us during our time of prayer to encounter His mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  No doubt some, or even much, change will happen in those who receive this Sacrament.

Please note that our Lenten Reconciliation Service will be happening here on St. Patrick's Day evening, March 17, at 6:00 p.m. There's a song called "Love is in the Air" by Lou Rauls that some of us know.  I believe "Change is in the air" and in our hearts during this Lenten Season and in a special way during this 24 hours of prayer for the Lord.  Please be one of them!