From the Pastor – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 23, 2017

From the Pastor – 29 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The last line of today’s Gospel Reading from St. Matthew contains one of the more well known of Jesus’ quotes. When asked a bit of a trick question by the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Jesus responds by asking them whose image is on their Roman coins, to which they respond simply “Caesar’s.”

Jesus’ response to their reply is known to most of us, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” The Lord’s answer is far more perceptive than we might think, and it gives another message to us, one we must always remember. If we are followers of Christ, and if we work to be His disciple, the Lord might ask us, “Whose image is on your soul?” We have learned in the First Chapter of Genesis that God created us in His image.

The coin may be stamped with Caesar’s image, but each of us is stamped with God’s image. Thus, Jesus is implying that the coin may be Caesar’s but each of us belongs to God. In that regard we should be striving to be all those things to which Jesus called us.

That is in effect what a stewardship way of life is — recognizing that God is in each of us, we are to place ourselves in service to God and to one another. That is what is really meant by “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Pastoral Pondering

I am most appreciative of those who have responded to the various requests I have made for feedback concerning various suggestions arising from the survey. Both the Sunday allowance for Faith Formation and the elimination of second collections received positive feedback. I am certainly still happy to receive further comments.

As I am writing this, the world is celebrating the 100 th anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima. We had a beautiful day with the pilgrim statute blessed by Pope Francis that began with an All School Mass and consecration of the parish and school to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The school children did a wonderful job welcoming Our Lady.

As the anniversary approached, a lot of folks expressed worry and even fear regarding the world and what might happen. There have been a lot of apocalyptic expectations for a while now; especially, in light of the myriad natural disasters that have been happening all over the world. During times like these, I think it is important to remember Jesus’ words to His disciples in Matthew 25:13, “Therefore, keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour."

No one can predict when the end will come. People have tried for millennia without success. I still remember the frenzy that preceded the beginning of the year 2000, a frenzy that approached like a lion and passed like a lamb. Jesus’ point in the Gospel is very simple. You and I are called to be faithful at all times and to live in hopeful expectation of the coming of the Lord. Being fearful and full of anxiety is not of God. Certainly we can look at the world and world events and realize that through these things God is certainly reminding us of the fragility of life and calling us to be more watchful. At the same time our response, especially to the natural disasters, should also be one of compassion, charity and fervent prayer.

I’ll close with the words of Luke 12:32 which I always turn to when things seem a bit darker than usual. It is a good place to turn when you need a little extra encouragement in the midst of the trials and tribulations that surround us. “Fear not little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Be at peace and know that there is not a hair on your head that is not noticed by our good and gracious God.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 11, 2025
In today’s Gospel passage, from Luke, we read the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan. Here, Jesus teaches us in rich detail what stewardship in action looks like. In fact, this parable could just as accurately be called the parable of the Good Steward. The first thing we note about the Good Samaritan is that he is aware of the needs of those around him and responds generously. While the priest and Levi brush right past the man on the side of the road, the Samaritan is watching for those who might be in need. He has a hospitable way of looking at the world around him and so he is able to “see” in a way that the others did not, and he was “moved with compassion at the sight” of the man. Next, we see the Good Samaritan spring into action to serve this man, setting aside his own schedule and plans to meet his needs. He does not just give the man a few dollars or offer quick words of encouragement from across the road. He goes right up to the man. He cleans and bandages his wounds. He puts the man on his own animal and brings him to an inn where he can heal. He ensures the innkeeper would continue to look after him, and he commits to re-turning to the man on his way back. That is how we live out God’s commandments. That is true hospitality and service.  That is how a good steward springs into action when he comes upon a neighbor in need. And Jesus says to each of us personally, just as He did in today’s Gospel, “Go and do likewise.” ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering I want to welcome Father Christopher Angermeyer to St. Mark as Parochial Vicar. As many of you know, Father was ordained in June. After completing his undergraduate studies at Belmont Abbey and St. Joseph College Seminary. He completed his theological studies and priestly formation at Mount St. Mary’s in Cincinnati. His home parish was St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte. We are happy to have Father Angermeyer with us. I know you will do your part to make him feel welcomed here at St. Mark. I will be away for the next couple of weeks on pilgrimage with a group of seminarians and faithful. Please know that the parish will be in my prayers, and I take all of your intentions with me to the Shrine of Our Lady.

From the Pastor - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.
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