Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
As we are about to  begin a new calendar year, and perhaps begin to formulate resolutions for the new year, might I suggest resolutions for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Here at Sacred Heart Church, we are going to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every Friday morning at the conclusion of the morning Mass.  (It takes about 10 minutes or less when recited).  I also encourage everyone to, perhaps, commit to stopping by the Perpetual Adoration Chapel anytime to say the chaplet individually OR come at 3:00 p.m. when it will be, hopefully, prayed out loud by those who are there.

I encourage everyone to commit to receive the Sacrament of God's Mercy (Reconciliation) more times than you normally do in a year.  For some, that might mean quarterly instead of just during the Advent and Lent seasons.  For some it could be more often than that.  I will be advertising more opportunities for reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation than we currently offer; and perhaps, priests in the area can set aside a time each week and commit to going to each other's churches so people can have the opportunity to go to a priest other than their pastor.  In addition, we are planning at least one religious education offering (probably in the Fall) on the subject of God's Mercy.

Consider a pilgrimage to Little Rock to Our Lady of Good Counsel Church at 1321 South Van Buren Street anytime (but especially on First Saturdays) to go through the Diocesan Door of Mercy and participate in Mass and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation AND visit the House of Formation (of our seminarians) that is on the grounds of Good Council Church. (Look at the insert that was in the bulletin a few weeks ago that I hope you saved).  Commit yourselves to the spiritual and corporal works of mercy (which we will try to highlight each week in the bulletin).

Finally, we will put passages from St. Faustina, who wrote much on God's Mercy that the Lord spoke to her in her prayer time over a number of years, in the bulletin every week.

Spend time this year growing in appreciation and acceptance of God's Mercy in your life and in the lives of others and hopefully find yourself reflexcting God's merciful ways in and through your own life.

May this calendar year be unlike any year you have experienced in your life!!!
Which solemnity on the Church's calendar has the most choices of Scripture readings that can be proclaimed at Mass for that solemnity?  A hint:  It is coming soon!  Of course, it is Christmas.  There are, in fact, four sets of readings that can be used at Masses at the Vigil, Midnight, at Dawn and During the Day.  In the days leading up to Christmas, I invite and encourage you to take the time to read as many of these 12 Scripture passages, as you can.  They are:  Isaiah 62:1-5: Acts13:16-17, 22-25; Matthew 1:1-25 . . . Isaiah 9:1-6; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 . . . Isaiah 62:11-12; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20 . . . Isaiah 52:5-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18.  Perhaps taking the first set of Readings starting on Monday of this week and ending on Christmas Eve with the fourth set, will prepare you for the fullness of what the Solemnity of Christmas is all about.  While the first three Gospels listed are stories and/or parts of stories that are familiar to us, the fourth one from John's Gospel is the most reflective and will certainly call for a slow reading of it from start to finish.  I believe God will bless in a special way, those who read and reflect on some or all of these passages from Scripture and lead to even more joy at whatever Mass you are a participant for Christmas.  (The Perpetual Adoration Chapel is a GREAT place to do this.  Bibles are available in each pew).

Speaking of Christmas Masses, I may be a cry in the wilderness, but I will once again challenge us when it comes to which Christmas Mass we will attend.  Please consider putting Christ FIRST ON CHRISTMAS DAY by participating in either the Mass at Midnight or the morning Mass at 9:00 a.m.  Anything and everything you do after this will have its proper place AFTER the community celebration of Christ's birth!!!
As we begin this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, before Christmas, we have many opportunities to show mercy to those who are in need through the many charities that are out there who daily help "the least among us."  With the many solicitations we get in the mail, we come to realize how far reaching the needs are out there.

I hope we will give special attention to works of mercy in this coming year as our time, talent and treasure will allow. One of the spiritual works of mercy is to instruct the ignorant.  Anytime we share our knowledge of the faith with someone, we are fulfilling this work of mercy.  Another way that we can accomplish this, is to provide for someone's ongoing help to grow in his/her faith through the Arkansas Catholic diocesan weekly newspaper.  I know that many of you are not currently getting the Arkansas Catholic, and I hope firstly, that you will consider having it delivered by mail 46 weeks of the year to your own home AND give it as a gift to someone for Christmas.  Just reading and reflecting on Bishop Taylor's homily from the past Sunday which is in the Arkansas Catholic each week, would provide something worthwhile to ponder and in many cases, put into action in our lives.  There is, however, SO MUCH MORE.  Please consider at least a one-year subscription for yourself and/or for someone else during this Year of Mercy.  I truly believe you won't regret it!

At this time of the year you can get three, one-year subscriptions for the price of two.  That would be $48 for three senior, or $52 (the regular subscription price) for three different addresses.  Send inthe names and addresses with your check to Arkansas Catholic, Post Office Box 7869, Little Rock, AR 72217.