From the Parochial Vicar - August 12, 2018

August 13, 2018

From the Parochial Vicar - August 12, 2018

In today’s Gospel, we continue the Lord’s “Bread of Life Discourse” from the Gospel of St. John in which Jesus speaks of his flesh and blood as being true food and drink, pointing to the Holy Eucharist which he will institute at the Last Supper. He speaks of the Eucharist’s lifegiving power in view of the manna in the desert that did not give life. “Manna” literally means, “What is it?” in Hebrew. More than just being flaky bread, it was a miraculous bread from heaven that tasted like anything the eater wanted it to taste like. The Israelites became fed up with this bread. Rather than turning their hearts to the giver of the bread, they continued to see it as something that pleased their tastes and appetites. They began by appreciating the bread, but never turned their appreciating to the giver of the bread. The manna became despicable to them. In the Eucharist, however, the giver and the gift are the same: Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

Last week, I wrote about our youth ministry programs as being a way to build up our youth and young adults as the Church of now, rather than the Church of tomorrow. These programs of dedicated youth and adults create an environment where each participant can be lead more deeply into the mystery of the life of the Church. And at the center of the Church’s life is the Eucharist. In the last year here at Saint Mark, I have three distinct memories of the power of the Eucharist in the life of our youth.

Shortly after I arrived, our high school youth minister asked if the priests and deacons would assist at an “XLT Night.” Rather than gathering for activities and small group discussions, we headed into the church where a deacon and our Psalm 150 group led the high schoolers in Exposition, Adoration, and Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. We had nearly 100 young people adoring the Lord with their hearts, bodies, and voices. As they worshipped the Lord in prayer and song, we priests were available for Confession. And did they come! One after another, I noticed the particular tenderness and loving affection with which they confessed their sins and resolved to overcome their weaknesses. The only explanation is that the light of grace coming from worshipping the Lord in the Eucharist—of making the Eucharist the central focus of their lives that night—enlightened their hearts and minds allowing them to humbly and confidently confess their sins to the Lord.

Likewise, I was privileged to provide music one evening for adoration with our middle school Edge Youth Ministry program. The youth gathered for a simpler, but similar experience as I described above. Do we not sometimes expect our children will become bored by long periods of prayer and adoration? To the contrary, what I saw was true devotion in our youth. The reverently prayed, sang, and adored our Lord with great affection. Afterwards, one of our Confirmation students came up to me and, after expressing his surprise that I play guitar, simply said, “Father, I forgot how much peace I find when I am with Jesus. He reminded me that I need to pray more and try harder to listen to my mom and dad.” Jesus moves our lives when we humbly approach him with open hearts.

Lastly, and most recently, I had the opportunity of going as chaplain to our Fidelis Inspire camp this summer. Fidelis Inspire / Fraternus Ranch is a four-day camp that allows the sisters and brothers (6 th to 12 th grade) to take a break from their normal summer activities to grow in fraternity. The young women gather at one camp and the young men at another. During this time they participate in talks, discussions, team building activities, and outdoor fun (high ropes, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, etc.). The last night of Fidelis Inspire, we had Adoration and Benediction. During this time, I led the young ladies in a Eucharistic healing service, which provided them with the opportunity to acknowledge any wounds and hurts in their life and then turn it all over to Jesus, the Divine Physician. At the end, the girls had the option of remaining with our Lord in silence or going to the end-of-the day-campfire. Many of the young women freely stayed until it become so late that I had to take the Eucharist back to the chapel of repose. At the end of our time together, the girls had an opportunity to share their stories. Many of them spoke about how, out of all the activities and fun things we did, adoration was the most powerful. One even said, “That was the happiest moment of Inspire. The saddest was when Fr. Carter has to take Jesus away.” Would that we all shared the same sentiments when leaving the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist!

From books and classes, we can learn about the doctrines and dogmas of the Holy Eucharist. At our Sunday Masses, we can hear the Scripture proclaimed about what Jesus said concerning the Blessed Sacrament, like we hear today. We can then listen to the priest or deacon preach about the importance of the Eucharist. In youth ministry, however, we have the august task of taking our young people deeper into a living relationship with the source and summit of the life of the Church. And as they look upon Christ in the little Host, Christ looks back at them and smiles saying, “Here is one of my own.”

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

By John Putnam • June 27, 2025
During June, we have celebrated key moments in the life of the Church — Pentecost, the Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi — culminating today with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Though very different men, they are united in faith, mission, and martyrdom, and the Church has honored them together since the third century. St. Peter, the first Pope, was chosen by Christ as the rock on which the Church would be built. The Catechism tells us that because of the faith he professed, Peter remains the “unshakeable rock of the Church.” Despite his human weaknesses, Peter's loyalty, repentance, and leadership make him a powerful model of stewardship. St. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became one of the Church’s greatest evangelists. In today’s second reading, Paul reflects on his mission, saying, “I have finished the race… the crown of righteousness awaits me.” The Greek word he used for “crown” — stephanos — refers to a victor’s crown, not a royal one, showing his view of faith as a race well-run for the sake of Christ. Though they were martyred separately, tradition holds that Peter and Paul were in Rome at the same time, and their shared witness and sacrifice tie them closely together in Church history. They embody two vital aspects of stewardship — Peter in his faith and leadership, and Paul in his zeal and wisdom. As stewards, we are called to follow their example — to build the Church through our commitment, to overcome our failures through God’s mercy, and to proclaim the Gospel with courage. Like Peter and Paul, we are invited to give all we have for the sake of Christ and His Church. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering  This Solemnity marks the beginning of summer vacation in Rome. The Holy Father will be traveling to Castelgandolfo for some time away from the heat of Rome. For the rest of us, the weeks of summer are in full swing, and as we move into July this week, I hope that families have an opportunity to spend some time in rest and relaxation. Spending time with family, friends, and the Lord, are among the best things that we can do with our “down time”. Leisure is essential to a well-lived life, but it has to be understood properly in the context of the Christian life. Anthony Esolen’s Leisure: The Basis of Culture is a contemporary reflection and expansion on the classic work of the same name by Josef Pieper. Esolen argues that modern society has lost its understanding of true leisure, mistaking it for mere idleness or entertainment. In contrast, he defines leisure as a contemplative, receptive state that allows individuals to encounter truth, beauty, and God. True leisure, according to the author, distinguishes leisure from passive consumption or busyness. True leisure is rooted in wonder, worship and reflection – activities that are ends in themselves, not means to productivity. He critiques how modern life has turned all human activity into something utilitarian. Education, art and even religion are often reduced to tools for social mobility or economic growth, rather than pursued for their intrinsic value. Esolen emphasizes that leisure finds its highest expression in worship and liturgy. Time spent in contemplation of the divine is the deepest form of leisure, because it directs the soul toward eternal realities. He draws on classical and Christian sources to affirm that man is not simply a worker or consumer but is made for contemplation and communion. In the end, he calls for a return to genuine leisure as the only path to restoring culture, education, and the dignity of the human spirit. The author argues that without true leisure, civilization cannot thrive, because it loses contact with what is eternal and meaningful. Leisure, rightly understood, is not a break from life – it is at the heart of what makes life worth living.

From the Pastor - Corpus Christi

By John Putnam • June 20, 2025
Today we observe the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This beautiful feast celebrates the gift of the Eucharist, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches is the source and summit of our Christian faith. “For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself” (CCC paragraph 1324). The very word, Eucharist, means “thanksgiving” or “gratitude” and so this feast is especially meaningful to all of us who are striving to live as grateful stewards of all God’s blessings to us. Surely the Eucharist is the greatest of all blessings because it is not only from God, the Eucharist, is God — the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us of the depths of love our Lord has shown us in the gift of the Eucharist, recalling Christ’s words at the very first Eucharistic celebration. “The Lord Jesus… took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you.’” In that moment, and at every celebration of the Mass thereafter, Jesus gives us His very self in an act of complete humility and perfect love. How can we possibly show our gratitude for such a sublime gift? We can receive the gift of the Eucharist with the greatest possible reverence and love. And, following our Lord’s example, we can give ourselves generously to others in the week ahead. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ naturally follows the Solemnities of Pentecost and the Holy Trinity. Each of those celebrations highlight a profound experience of God. The Eucharist invites us into the very life of God which is the Holy Trinity. We are nourished by the Lord to sustain us as we strive to run the race and fight the good fight. The Church in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II describes the Eucharist as the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows… At times perhaps we allow our assistance and participation at Mass and reception of the Eucharist to become habitual or common place. Such an attitude should always be avoided since it diminishes the centrality that the Eucharist is to play in each of our lives. Nonetheless, it is a common pitfall that many of us fall into. There are a number of ways in which we can help ourselves to avoid falling into that trap. First and foremost, we should prepare ourselves for participation at Mass. This can be accomplished in a number of ways but especially by taking some time to read and reflect on the Scriptures before we arrive at the church. Arriving early at Mass so that we can actually spend some time in prayer, quieting our hearts and minds before the celebration begins is also helpful. Outside of Mass, we can make spiritual Communions and make visits to the Blessed Sacrament. These moments of grace can also inspire us to live more authentically Christian lives by our concern for and service to the poor. Serving our neighbor and loving the neighbor as we love ourselves is a true expression of our love for God.  I also want to offer a word of thanks to all those who assisted with the diaconate and priestly ordinations the previous two Saturdays. A great deal of work goes into these events, and the St. Mark staff and volunteers always “step up” to do their part. We as a parish are honored to host these important Diocesan events and appreciate all of those who contribute to their success.
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