From the Pastor – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 12, 2020

From the Pastor – 15 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, our Lord shares the Parable of the Sower who scatters seed on many different kinds of land. This is a wonderful analogy for the stewardship way of life, demonstrating the slow and steady, yet powerful effect this lifestyle will have on those who fully embrace it.

In this parable, some of the seeds land on a path where birds carry them off before they can begin to take root. Other seeds land on rocky ground with little soil. As soon as things begin to heat up, they get scorched and die. Then there are seeds that land on soil cluttered with thorns which choke the seeds just as they are beginning to grow strong.

Finally, there are seeds that land on deep and healthy soil. These seeds produce abundant fruit. 

This is where the stewardship way of life comes in. When we give the best of our time, talent and treasure to serve God and others, we create lives filled with that rare “good soil” needed for the Kingdom of God to thrive. 

How does this happen? Stewardship living removes the “rocks” of mistrust from our lives as we develop an unshakable faith that God will always provide for our needs. It clears away the “thorns” of worldly ambition that make us self-centered, fill us with needless anxiety and stifle our focus on God. Stewardship living requires a deep reliance on the Word of God and the sacraments which continuously nourish and fertilize the soil of our lives.

Let us deepen our commitment to this way of life, allowing the Sower to do His work in us, slowly and steadily. The Master Gardner will surely produce miraculous fruits through us. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2020

Pastoral Pondering or Masks, Tyranny and Dark Chocolate

At this point we are already at the second Sunday in July. Mid-summer (June 24 th this year) is almost upon us. Still for me, it doesn’t really seem like summer. Except for the warm temperatures, things are pretty much the same as they were a month ago. More people are wearing masks, because that is what the Governor said people should do and many folks are still afraid to wander too far from their homes.

With my background in the natural sciences, I always want to see concrete data that supports decision making and recommendations. However, because this COVID was previously unknown the data has been scarce, and the recommendations have been all over the place. It’s hard then to know what one should do or, as a pastor, to know what to do for the whole. We are observing the Diocesan recommendations based on the CDC recommendations and the Governor’s executive orders, but I am more and more becoming skeptical of the data upon which these things are based.

Swiss Policy Research (swprs.org) has some interesting facts about COVID-19 that are worth considering. For example, According to the latest immunological and serological studies, the overall lethality of Covid-19 (IFR) is  about 0.1%  and thus in the range of a strong seasonal  influenza  (flu). The risk of death from a car ride is greater than the threat posed by the virus. And the list goes on. I share this because I do not believe we can always trust the information that we have been given, especially when many are still being told (outside of NC thankfully) that it’s not safe to go to church but completely safe to attend a protest or a Pride parade.

We Christians should never allow ourselves to become lemmings. We need to push back when there are contradictions in what we are hearing. Prudence and wisdom are always called for, but when the authorities lose credibility because of their own words and actions, it’s incumbent up each of us to start asking “what gives?” I’m not saying we shouldn’t wash our hands and take precautions, but we do need to start getting back to normal and opposing the tyranny of popular opinion and political narrative. Rather than turning to dark chocolate (my preference) and letting anxiety and fear rule our lives, we need to once again learn to live in the freedom that belongs to us in Christ Jesus (cf. Galatians 5:1).

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 25, 2025
In our Gospel reading from Luke, some disciples of Jesus ask our Lord to teach them how to pray. Jesus instantly offers them the beautiful prayer which we, of course, call the Our Father. The Our Father is truly a steward’s prayer. In it, we call upon God in an intimate way, as Father. We ask that His will be done (not ours!) and that His kingdom come (not ours!). In other words, we remember that He is our Creator, everything is His, and our focus in life should be on His priorities, not our own. Then we ask Him to supply our needs (to give our daily bread), forgive our sins, and protect us from evil. That is, we proclaim our complete trust in His provision for us and mercy towards us. We, too, commit to extending mercy ourselves (as we forgive those who sin against us.) As we pray the words of the Our Father, we recognize this basic truth about ourselves and God: God is our Father, and we are beloved and infinitely blessed to be His children. This is the basis of a stewardship way of life. At the end of the Gospel passage, Jesus encourages us to pursue a relationship with the Father: Ask Him, seek Him, knock on His door! He can hardly wait to bless us, HIs children. Remember that this week, then go, be a blessing to others! Stewardship is just that simple. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering  Last week I was listening to an episode of the Conor Gallagher Podcast, in which the author, Paul Zucarelli, was being interviewed. I found it extremely interesting and thought provoking, so I thought I would provide a summary of his book this week. Faith Understood: An Ordinary Man’s Journey to the Presence of God by Paul Zucarelli is a memoir recounting the author’s near-death experience and its profound impact on his life and faith. Zucarelli, a successful businessman and CPA, died of sudden cardiac death on Pentecost Sunday in 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona, and was revived after two hours through what he attributes to intercessory prayer and divine intervention. During this experience, he describes encountering a heavenly realm, witnessing a radiant light filled with warmth and love, and hearing a divine voice assuring him of safety, which left him with no fear of death or desire to return to his body. The book goes beyond the near-death account, focusing on Zucarelli’s spiritual transformation and renewed commitment to living for God. It emphasizes themes of faith, hope, and love, illustrating how God uses trials to draw people closer to Him. Zucarelli shares how this event deepened his Christian faith, leading him and his wife, Beth, to dedicate their lives to evangelization, sharing their testimony across the United States. The narrative includes reflections on scripture, personal vulnerability, and five life lessons outlined in Chapter Nine, which readers found universally compelling and timeless. While some reviewers wished for more detailed descriptions of the heavenly experience, the book is praised for its authenticity, inspiring both believers and non-believers to explore God’s presence and the power of prayer. Proceeds from the book support a charitable foundation, reflecting Zucarelli’s mission of altruism. What I found most compelling about the podcast was the author’s sense of peace about how God has been working in his life since his near-death experiences. His story, which is deeply informed by his Catholic faith, shows the transforming power of God’s love in the midst of life’s trials and tribulations.

From the Pastor - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 18, 2025
In today’s Gospel reading from St. Luke, we receive a reminder about the proper use of the gift of time, a fundamental aspect of a stewardship way of life. Our passage highlights one of the most famous dinner parties ever thrown, recalling the day that Martha and Mary hosted our Lord in their home. We are told that Martha, as a good steward, welcomes Christ in but then becomes “burdened with much serving” while her sister and fellow hostess chooses to simply sit with Jesus, listening to Him speak. Martha becomes indignant at Mary’s behavior and complains to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” But Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, refuses to get pulled into this sisterly spat. Instead, He offers Martha a fresh way to look at the situation. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.” What is that one thing? It is to put Jesus first in our lives and above all other things; to “sit at his feet” and listen as Mary did, giving Him the priority of our time no matter how busy we think we are. When we truly commit to putting Christ first in our daily lives through a regular time of prayer and frequent participation in the sacraments, we will find that all our other concerns become less pressing, less overwhelming. Why is this so? Because the time we invest in our relationship with God saturates all aspects of our lives with His grace. And because God cannot be outdone in generosity. He will abundantly reward any sacrifice we make to spend time with Him. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering In the Catholic tradition, prayer is a foundational practice, understood as a personal and communal relationship with God. It’s seen as a dialogue, not a monologue, where the individual lifts their heart and mind to God, seeking communion, guidance, and alignment with His will. Below is a concise overview of the Catholic understanding of prayer, grounded in Church teaching and tradition: Definition and Purpose : The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2559) defines prayer as “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” It’s an act of love, trust, and dependence on God, fostering a covenant relationship. Prayer’s primary aim is communion with God, aligning human will with divine will, as modeled by Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Types of Prayer (CCC 2626-2643): Adoration : Worshipping God for His infinite goodness and majesty (e.g., Eucharistic adoration). Petition : Asking for personal needs or forgiveness, acknowledging human dependence on God. Intercession : Praying for others, reflecting charity and solidarity (e.g., praying for the living and the dead). Thanksgiving : Expressing gratitude for God’s gifts, as seen in the Eucharist (“thanksgiving” in Greek). Praise : Glorifying God for who He is, beyond what He does. Forms of Prayer : Vocal Prayer : Spoken prayers, like the Rosary, Our Father, or Hail Mary, engaging both body and soul. Meditative Prayer : Reflecting on Scripture or sacred mysteries (e.g., Lectio Divina or meditating on the Rosary’s mysteries). Contemplative Prayer : A silent, loving gaze toward God, seeking deeper union, as taught by saints like Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross. Theological Foundations : Prayer is rooted in the Trinity: Catholics pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit (CCC 2655). Jesus is the model of prayer, seen in His constant communion with the Father (e.g., John 17). The Holy Spirit inspires and sustains prayer (Romans 8:26). Mary and the saints are intercessors, not mediators, whose prayers join ours to God (CCC 2673-2679). Role in Catholic Life : Prayer is essential for salvation, as it nurtures faith, hope, and charity (CCC 2558). It’s a daily obligation, often through practices like morning/evening prayers, Mass, or the Liturgy of the Hours. The Eucharist, as the “source and summit” of Christian life (CCC 1324), is the highest form of prayer, uniting believers with Christ’s sacrifice. Prayer strengthens against temptation and fosters virtues, as seen in the lives of saints like Thérèse of Lisieux, who called prayer “a surge of the heart.” Practical Expressions : Liturgy : The Mass and sacraments are communal prayers, uniting the Church on earth and in heaven. Devotions : Practices like the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, or novenas deepen personal devotion. Spontaneous Prayer : Heartfelt, unscripted prayer is encouraged alongside structured forms. Challenges and Growth : Catholics are taught to persevere in prayer despite distractions or dryness, trusting God’s presence (CCC 2729-2733). Prayer requires humility and openness, as St. Augustine said: “Man is a beggar before God.” Supporting Evidence : The Catechism (Part Four, CCC 2558-2865) provides a comprehensive guide to prayer, emphasizing its centrality. Vatican II’s Sacrosanctum Concilium highlights liturgy as the primary expression of prayer, uniting the Church. Saints’ writings, like St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, offer practical methods for deepening prayer. For further exploration, consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church or resources from the Vatican (vatican.va). Prayer, in Catholicism, is not just a practice but a way of life, drawing believers into God’s love and mission.