From the Pastor - Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 3, 2024

Our readings today call us to love as Christ loves.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “Love one another as I have loved you.” The ways Jesus has loved us and continues to love us are endless.

 

We are called to imitate this love. And He tells us the greatest way to do this when He said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

 

It is difficult to live that out in our humanity. Yet, it is made much easier when we faithfully love Christ. The fact of the matter is, as our love for Christ increases, so too does our capacity to love others.

 

There are countless moments when we can do just that — for instance, waking up Saturday morning to attend daily Mass instead of sleeping in, or talking to God in the car on the way to work instead of listening to music. These are simple ways to express our love for the Lord by laying down our lives for Him.

 

The more we find ways to love the Lord, the more we will find it easier to put aside our selfishness and serve others.

 

Christ’s command to love others may seem daunting. Yet, Christ would never ask something of us that we cannot live out. All we need to do is take baby steps. Ask yourself, "How can I better love Jesus right now?" for it is in loving Christ that we will better love others, and it is in loving others that we love Christ Himself. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024

 

Pastoral Pondering

Last week I had the opportunity of spending the afternoon with my childhood pastor, the Reverend Fred Thompson. He served as the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Newton, NC for over 30 years. He is now 91 years old and continues to live a fairly independent life. We lost touch when my family moved from Newton to Hickory as I began grammar school but reconnected during my undergraduate studies at Lenoir-Rhyne College. We have stayed in touch since then. Such connections from the past are very important. At least in my case, Fred knew things about my parents and my adoption that I never did, and he is always happy to share a story or two.

 

I bring this up because memory, what we refer to in the Mass as anamnesis, is essential not only to our faith but to society as a whole. Our collective memory is important. Significant events of the past are passed on from one generation to the next, and we hopefully learn from our mistakes so that we don’t repeat them.

 

In the Catholic context, we are being obedient to Christ’s command at the Last Supper, do this in memory of me.” And it is through that remembrance that we cannot the past with the present and look with hope to the future – Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. This is why Sacred Tradition is so very important to our understanding of the Faith. That which is handed over (traditio) is essential because it forms the framework upon which the Church travels throughout the centuries.

 

The same is true in families. In the past multiple generations would live together or in close proximity to each other. Children learned about life from a variety of family members with varying degrees of lived experience and a wealth of memory. With our society becoming more transitory and human interaction being impoverished by the reality of technology, families need to be very intentional about connecting with the past. It helps us all understand who we are, why we are here and for what we were made.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 31, 2026
Today’s readings should inspire the Christian steward with deepened gratitude for our God, who loves us with both fierce and tender love. We must make an intentional response each day, returning love for Love. In our Second Reading from Romans, St. Paul reminds us that nothing and no one can separate us from the love of Christ. No anguish, distress, persecution, famine — and we might add illness, financial hardship, family struggles, or uncertainty about the future — nothing can keep our God from loving us. God holds us securely in the palm of His hand. And yet, this reassurance is only the beginning of God’s gifts to us. Our Gospel from Matthew recounts the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. This miracle foreshadows the gift of the Eucharist, where Christ feeds us not simply with bread, but with His own Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Notice how the Gospel begins. "His heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick." What generous and compassionate love our Lord shows. But even that is not enough for Him. He remains with the people, teaching and ministering to them until evening. When the disciples suggest sending the crowds away to find food, Jesus instead invites them to become part of His plan. He tells them to feed the people, then miraculously multiplies the few loaves and fish they offer. What a privilege it was for the disciples to participate in Christ's work. That same privilege is ours as Christian stewards. Let us respond with grateful hearts to such amazing love. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants,

From the Pastor - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 31, 2026
The stewardship way of life could be described as a daily pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven. In today’s Gospel from Matthew, Jesus uses a series of parables to help us understand the incomparable value of that Kingdom. First, He reminds us that living for Him and for His Kingdom will require sacrifice. Yet the joy that comes from following Christ makes any sacrifice worthwhile. Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” He then compares the Kingdom to “a merchant searching for fine pearls." When the merchant finds a pearl of great price, he gladly sells everything he has to obtain it. In both parables, the Kingdom is something precious that must be sought and recognized. We must intentionally look for it amid the distractions and noise of the world. Yet Jesus also reminds us that the Kingdom is meant for everyone. He compares it to a net cast into the sea that gathers fish of every kind. At the same time, He reminds us that each of us will one day be judged. The angels “will separate the wicked from the righteous.” It is a powerful reminder that our choices matter. Let us pray for the wisdom to recognize the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst and to pursue it above all else. There is no greater treasure, and no greater source of joy, than a life lived as a faithful disciple of Jesus. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026. Pastoral Pondering I enjoy books generally. I like to hold them, look at them and, of course, read them. I also enjoy audiobooks because they are a good way to pass the time with all the driving that I do. I like a wide variety of books, but I generally try to avoid things that are strictly political. Hence, I was a little hesitant when the book Communion by J.D. Vance was recommended to me. However, what I discovered is that it is an excellent read and has nothing to do with politics. Rather, it is the story of the Vice President’s return to the Christian faith that eventually resulted in his becoming Catholic. I suppose “conversion” stories attract me because of my own background. And while I did not grow up in Ohio coal country as he did, there are many similarities to his family, described in Hillbilly Elegy, and my dad’s family from the mountains of North Carolina. This particular book, in some ways, is a sequel to Hillbilly . It discusses his chaotic childhood and exposure to Baptist and Pentecostal churches, his drift into atheism as a young adult, following the death of his grandmother, and his gradual return to faith which culminated in his conversion to Catholicism in 2019. The title refers to the Eucharist, and the author explores what it means to be Christian across life stages – as a child, young man, husband, father and public figure – while reflecting on the role of religion in public life and American society.  This memoir mixes spiritual autobiography with broader commentary on faith, politics, family values, and societal problems. While some have criticized it as more of a cultural manifesto, I appreciated the honest assessment of one man’s journey from his childhood faith to an adult faith which led to full communion with the Catholic Church. Granted, it may not be to everyone’s liking, but it shouldn’t be dismissed simply because the author is the current Vice President. I enjoyed it, and if you want something to pass a lazy summer afternoon, I’d recommend it.