From the Pastor – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 23, 2018

From the Pastor – 16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Most are familiar with the scriptural quote from Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. There is nothing I shall want.” This passage serves as the Responsorial Psalm on this 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time because it supports the other readings with two key ideas: that we must place our trust in the Lord, and that we inherit life from our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

At the time St. Paul was writing his Letter to the Ephesians (our Second Reading), Paul was under house arrest in Rome and awaiting trial. He was allegedly accused by the Jews of taking a Gentile into a temple. Therefore, part of Paul’s statement, “For he (Christ) is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,” is saying essentially the Lordship of Jesus is not greater than any difference you may feel you have with others — that Jesus is our Savior and our Shepherd.

In the Gospel Reading from Mark, the idea of shepherding lies at the heart. “When he (Jesus) disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” In other words, He began to feed them with the Word of God. That is what we do during this part of our Mass; we hear Holy Scripture. These are the Words of the Lord. He is our shepherd. We are His sheep.

As always, Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson about stewardship through today’s readings. To the Lord, the needs of others were more important than His own. When we share our time, our talents, and our treasure, we are not only following our Good Shepherd, we are also living His Gospel call to shepherd others by giving of ourselves.

Pastoral Pondering

I want to thank all of those who generously gave of their time and resources to help us meet our Rise Against Hunger goal last week. The 100,000 meals that were packaged will bring life-giving food to the most needy and vulnerable. This weekend we welcome Father Cyrus Gallagher, a priest representing Unbound Ministries which was founded in 1981 to provide assistance to needy children around the world. The work of Unbound is solidly rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Father Gallagher is here to share about their good work and invite those who feel called to cooperate in their outreach.

In the July 6 th issue of the Catholic News Herald the front page focused on the recent immigration issues, especially helping separated families. My sense from talking to a number of people is that there is some confusion regarding what the Church teaching regarding this matter is and how we, as Catholics, should be responding.

First and foremost, Catholic Social Teaching is based on our fundamental belief, deeply rooted in the natural law, that each human person is created in the image and likeness of God. Each person then has inherent dignity which should guide all of our interactions within the human community.

With that being said, we also believe in the right of the state to enact laws that protect the good of society at large. Securing our borders would certainly fall into that category. Such laws have to be evaluated as to their moral (or immoral) value.

The flashpoint of the most recent debate has focused on separating children from families who have entered the country illegally. Bishops have spoken out about the injustice of such a policy and certainly, Pope Francis has been clear about his support of immigration. Obviously, the Church supports families and family unity.

Nonetheless, it would behoove everyone to step back and take a more circumspect view of this particular situation. Most importantly, it is necessary to have reasonable discussions without demonizing those who disagree with one position or another. Evidence suggests that many children are used and abused by the adults who benefit from illegal immigration. Kidnapping, Human trafficking, and drug trafficking are realities that also need to be addressed among others.

The government certainly needs to listen to the voices of those who raise legitimate concerns about the morality of policies, but the converse is also true. Those who raise concerns need to make sure that they have a clear understanding of all of the facts that impact the issues at hand. And, as I pointed out last week, civil discourse is essential to reaching a common goal. It respects the dignity of each person and realizes that individuals and groups of individuals can disagree but at the same time work towards solutions that benefit everyone.

From the Pastor

By John Putnam July 7, 2025
In today’s Gospel passage, from Luke, we find our Lord appointing disciples to go out and prepare others to receive His invitation into the Kingdom of God. Every verse has something to say about the way a Christian steward should approach others. Let’s consider at least one of the coaching tips Christ gives. “The Lord appointed seventy-two others whom He sent out ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit.” In His wisdom, Christ sent His disciples out not as individuals but in pairs, as teams. This approach to evangelization certainly provided practical advantages. The disciples could lean on each other for mutual support and encouragement, helping each other to stay on task and to put their heads together to pray and problem-solve. This teamwork approach is just as relevant to us modern-day Christian stewards. It takes courage and commitment to go out and invite others into the Christian life. We need to work together to do it well. But there is also symbolic importance to working in teams. It points to the reality that when we invite others to embrace the Good News of the Gospel, we are not merely inviting them into a belief system, but into a relationship with Christ and through that relationship, into Christ’s family — our fellow Christian disciples near and far. Our parish is our immediate spiritual family in this extended worldwide fold. We are not meant to live as isolated individuals within the parish any more than we are meant to live in isolation within our families. We are meant to be a community. That is why it is so important for us to foster a vibrant, supportive, welcoming parish life. This is why we emphasize hospitality as one of the pillars of stewardship. It is not enough just to point others to Christ; we must invite them to join us in community with Him; we must offer a place and mission for them in the Church and within our parish family. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As you know, during the last weekend of May (5/31-6/1), we had our final push for our Growing Home Campaign. I wanted to give everyone a final update as we conclude our fundraising period. During that weekend’s presentation, I asked everyone to help us close the $325,000 gap to meet our $9.7 M goal. As we close this portion of the campaign, I am happy to report that we have reached $10.5 million in pledges and gifts, exceeding our goal by $800,000! I am continuously amazed by the giving spirit that pervades our parish. Your generosity is a tangible expression of your commitment to our amazing parish. The funds raised over the goal and any funds raised going forward will help us to address the ever-increasing cost of construction and reduce the loan amount that will be required to complete the overall project. As noted earlier this year, the Rectory project has started and is projected to take about 12 months to complete. Our hope and plan is to break ground on the Monsignor Bellow Center and Adoration Chapel next summer or early Fall. Words alone never seem adequate to express the gratitude that I have in my heart for all of you who have participated in and supported this monumental effort. Both the financial support and the support with time and talent have been tremendous and for that, I want to offer a heartfelt “THANK YOU!”. May God bless each of you for your generosity in helping us grow our home here at St. Mark.
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.
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