In about a week, we will conclude our "Little White Books" for the Easter season. They have been a great way to connect with the Lord through scripture and reflection and learn some things about the Church of Bible that you didn't know.
I am pleased that over 100 parishioners or families have recognized how good it is to stay connected to the Lord daily (and throughout the entire year) and have done so by being part of our bulk subscription to "Give Us This Day." For only $20 a year (a savings of 50% since we get it in bulk), you can get each month's edition and know you are getting a different, short morning and evening prayer for each day, the scripture readings that are proclaimed at Mass each day, and wonderful reflections from a variety of different people from clergy to laity, to saints of the past. There are also short two-page reflections at the start of each week which are informative and inspirational. The week's two-page reflection was penned by the former Abbot of Subiaco (here in Arkansas), Father Jerome Kodell, a noted scripture scholar who last visited us before our parish day of recollection.
If you are interested in joining in the bulk subscription which begins a new year's worth with the July issue, either stop by the Office and leave your money and name with Linda, or pay your $20 (check to Sacred Heart Church or cash) or sign-up and pay your money in the narthex over the next few weeks.
Even if you don't do all that's available in this monthly booklet, you will certainly benefit from what you do read and from the prayers that are found (some in the front that are unique each month) in this wonderful spiritual aid. I would love to see our number of subscribers rise, and rise significantly in this new cycle. Please consider being one of them or continuing if you have already been a subscriber.
I am pleased that over 100 parishioners or families have recognized how good it is to stay connected to the Lord daily (and throughout the entire year) and have done so by being part of our bulk subscription to "Give Us This Day." For only $20 a year (a savings of 50% since we get it in bulk), you can get each month's edition and know you are getting a different, short morning and evening prayer for each day, the scripture readings that are proclaimed at Mass each day, and wonderful reflections from a variety of different people from clergy to laity, to saints of the past. There are also short two-page reflections at the start of each week which are informative and inspirational. The week's two-page reflection was penned by the former Abbot of Subiaco (here in Arkansas), Father Jerome Kodell, a noted scripture scholar who last visited us before our parish day of recollection.
If you are interested in joining in the bulk subscription which begins a new year's worth with the July issue, either stop by the Office and leave your money and name with Linda, or pay your $20 (check to Sacred Heart Church or cash) or sign-up and pay your money in the narthex over the next few weeks.
Even if you don't do all that's available in this monthly booklet, you will certainly benefit from what you do read and from the prayers that are found (some in the front that are unique each month) in this wonderful spiritual aid. I would love to see our number of subscribers rise, and rise significantly in this new cycle. Please consider being one of them or continuing if you have already been a subscriber.
Taking something or someone for granted can bring negative results to the person who does this. The Houston Rockets, for instance, took for granted that they would best the San Antonio Spurs at their home court in game six of their NBA basketball playoff series, especially since two of the main players for San Antonio were out due to injury. Instead, they lost the game by over 30 points. As people of faith, sadly we can take Jesus for granted in a number of ways, especially when He comes to us in His Body and Blood at Mass and into our bodies when we receive Him in Holy Communion.
In less than a month we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord, and since Deacon John is scheduled to preach that weekend, I would like to take time in my column to encourage us first of all, to always approach Jesus with the utmost reverence and awe. Try not to let anything or ayone distract you when you are coming forward to receive Him. Joining in the singing the Communion Hymn is always a good way to keep your focus on Jesus. When you get close to the person who is to give you Communion, bow your head slightly before or while you say "Amen" after the minister says "The Body of Christ" to you.
After people return to their pews, I know there are some who remain standing and others who choose to kneel and pray. While the Church says that the "common posture" throughout the distribution of Communion is standing, and insists on a time after everyone has received, to kneel or sit in quiet prayer to the One (Jesus) who has entered our bodies, it also recognizes and accepts those who choose to return to their pews and kneel. Either way, we should not allow ourselves to become and/or remain distracted during the distribution of Communion. Rather, while Jesus is close to us, we can either speak to Him in the quiet of our hearts or speak in praise of Him by joining in the Communion Hymn or do both, as our distribution of Communion normally takes awhile in our large church. Consciously keeping our attention on Jesus as best we can during this special time during Mass will produce blessings to us, to our community of believers and to those who we lift up to the Lord as He dwells so close to us.
In less than a month we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord, and since Deacon John is scheduled to preach that weekend, I would like to take time in my column to encourage us first of all, to always approach Jesus with the utmost reverence and awe. Try not to let anything or ayone distract you when you are coming forward to receive Him. Joining in the singing the Communion Hymn is always a good way to keep your focus on Jesus. When you get close to the person who is to give you Communion, bow your head slightly before or while you say "Amen" after the minister says "The Body of Christ" to you.
After people return to their pews, I know there are some who remain standing and others who choose to kneel and pray. While the Church says that the "common posture" throughout the distribution of Communion is standing, and insists on a time after everyone has received, to kneel or sit in quiet prayer to the One (Jesus) who has entered our bodies, it also recognizes and accepts those who choose to return to their pews and kneel. Either way, we should not allow ourselves to become and/or remain distracted during the distribution of Communion. Rather, while Jesus is close to us, we can either speak to Him in the quiet of our hearts or speak in praise of Him by joining in the Communion Hymn or do both, as our distribution of Communion normally takes awhile in our large church. Consciously keeping our attention on Jesus as best we can during this special time during Mass will produce blessings to us, to our community of believers and to those who we lift up to the Lord as He dwells so close to us.
I don't know about you, but I will readily admit that I don't normally like to read the "fine print" that is part of some documents that come across my desk or are put before me for my attention. Not only is the "smallness" of the print a challenge, but also, the length and content of the small print can be discouraging, to say the least. Such, I believe, is not the case with the small print that was included on the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal envelope that many of us saw, and some of us used, to give our donation to help support the many needed ministries that are funded by this annual appeal.
Since, to date, almost 500 of our registered parish families have yet to make a contribution to support the work of the Lord for people, ranging from the Unborn (Respect Life Office and Catholic Charities) to our children (through our Catholic schools and Religious Education programs), to our young adults (Campus ministry), to our adults (Religious Education and many other ministries), I want to inform you of another option to give besides using the envelopes marked for this Appeal in the narthex. On that envelope (in small print), it tells us that we can make an online donation by going to dolr.org and selecting the tab "Online Giving." You can either make a one-time donation or a pledge to the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal that can be paid off througout the rest of the year.
As we continue to contemplate the miraculous growth of the early Church in which Christian communities helped one another in many ways, including individual financial gifts (see Acts of the Apostles), I strongly ask every family at Sacred Heart Church to support the mission churches in our state and so much more through CASA. God bless those whose faith in God is shown in many way including their generous hearts.
Since, to date, almost 500 of our registered parish families have yet to make a contribution to support the work of the Lord for people, ranging from the Unborn (Respect Life Office and Catholic Charities) to our children (through our Catholic schools and Religious Education programs), to our young adults (Campus ministry), to our adults (Religious Education and many other ministries), I want to inform you of another option to give besides using the envelopes marked for this Appeal in the narthex. On that envelope (in small print), it tells us that we can make an online donation by going to dolr.org and selecting the tab "Online Giving." You can either make a one-time donation or a pledge to the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal that can be paid off througout the rest of the year.
As we continue to contemplate the miraculous growth of the early Church in which Christian communities helped one another in many ways, including individual financial gifts (see Acts of the Apostles), I strongly ask every family at Sacred Heart Church to support the mission churches in our state and so much more through CASA. God bless those whose faith in God is shown in many way including their generous hearts.