From the Pastor – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 15, 2018

From the Pastor – 28 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Part of the beauty of stewardship spirituality is its simplicity and practicality. It can be summed up in the simple phrase, “All I have is a gift from God and I must make a grateful return to Him for all He has given me.”

So simple, that even our youngest parishioners can grasp the concept. Simple, however, does not necessarily mean easy. Simple also does not mean shallow.

Today’s readings invite us to look into the depth of a stewardship way of life. And they reveal that it requires the commitment of our whole being to God. It is anything but easy or shallow. It points us to seek after higher things — the wisdom of God and Heaven itself.

Our Second Reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, shows us a way to obtain such wisdom —it is available to us right in the Scriptures, which are the living word of God. Every time we approach them in a spirit of prayer, they will speak to us. God’s wisdom is right there for us. All we need to do is commit some daily time to seek it.

Our Gospel Reading from Mark is one of the better-known passages in the Gospel – the story of the rich young man. In response to the man’s question on what he must do to obtain eternal life, Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. The man replies that he has always done this much. But he rightfully suspects there is more to being a disciple of Jesus than just following the external rules

We are called to be so much more than rule-followers; we are called to be Christ followers. A stewardship way of life frees us follow Christ with all of our being and so to find eternal life.

Pastoral Pondering

Last year Robert Cardinal Sarah released a book entitled The Power Of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise. At the time of its release, I found it to be a much needed antidote to the cacophony that has become our social discourse and culture. I think it is even more true today. I do not believe that there is any quick fix available for our public and political situation, but all of us can work on changing ourselves by changing our interior lives.

We do this primarily by finding time for God. Our lives are filled with increasing busyness that often pulls us from one activity to another without affording any time for self-reflection. Socrates famously said that the unexamined life is not worth living. Yet, because of everything going on, we have little time for self-examination. Because of this I know some pastors have decided to simply focus on one ministry initiative and eliminate others.

St. Mark is a large parish. After looking through the database and eliminating those who have not been participating for some time, we have approximately 4,200 registered families which represents approximately 14,000 parishioners. This number fluctuates regularly because of folks moving in and others moving out. Because of the size, there is a lot going on.

With this being said, we have to be constantly evaluating whether our various activities at the parish adequately reflect the parish’s mission. We’ve been looking at this for some time and will continue to do so. Such an effort is never easy. We certainly want the parish to be a center for parishioners. At the same time, we need to make sure that our offerings at the parish actually contribute to our primary mission which is the salvation of souls.

I think the same approach is useful in our personal lives. When we look at all of the things that we are doing, we need to ask a fundamental question. How is this activity supporting my vocation and helping me and those I am responsible for stay on the path to heaven? We need to do this regularly so that our priorities remain clearly rooted in Christ and in our ultimate goal, getting to heaven.

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.