From the Pastor – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

October 29, 2018

From the Pastor – 30 th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

As Christian stewards we are called to devote a regular portion of our time to God in prayer. Perhaps we find it intimidating to find the right words when approaching our perfect and all-holy God.

Today’s Gospel shows us we need to have our “act together” before we can spend time with Him in prayer. In this passage from Mark, we see that Bartimaeus received a powerful answer to prayer at a very low point in his life. There, he sat, begging at the side of the road in a very undignified manner. His posture wasn’t exactly reverent, and his prayer wasn’t eloquent, just a desperate, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”

But it was a sincere cry from his heart. And Jesus, though surrounded by a sizable crowd, heard it, and called for Bartimaeus to come to Him. Folks from the crowd called to Bartimaeus, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” And right there on the spot, Bartimaeus experienced a profound moment of personal encounter with our Lord and the healing of his vision he desired.

How simple it is to encounter Jesus! All we must do is reach out to Him in prayer and we can be assured that He will hear us and call us to Himself. So, let’s all take courage this week knowing that Jesus is calling us right now to spend time with Him just as we are, in all our weakness and brokenness. Tell Him, the great High Priest, what your needs are and then, like Bartimaeus, follow Him, and keep on keeping on in this stewardship way of life. It’s a life with the ultimate happy ending.

Pastoral Pondering

At the end of this week, we will once again celebrate those who have gone before us “marked with the sign of faith.” On Nov. 1 we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints who rejoice in the presence of God in heaven. On Nov. 2 we celebrate the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls). Both observances remind us of the reality of three last things: judgment, heaven and hell.

One of the sad realities of our present culture within the Christian community is the almost wholesale denial of hell. Yet, Jesus is clear that hell is a reality and a possibility for every human being (see Matthew 7:21). At the same time because of His mercy, He desires the salvation of all people (see 1 Tim. 2:4).

So, what are we to do? Jesus says only those who do the will of My Father will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and He summarizes the Father’s will in the great commandment, Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. In the day to day this should be lived out in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The corporal: feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. The spiritual: instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, admonish sinners, bear wrongs patiently, forgive offenses, comfort the afflicted and pray for the living and the dead.

In praying for the dead, the Church teaches that those souls who die in a state of grace (no mortal sin) but with venial sin and other earthly attachments must be purified before being worthy to enter the perfect presence of God. The Second Ecumenical Council of Florence in 1439 put it this way: “if the truly penitent die in the love of God, before they have made satisfaction by worthy fruits of penance for their since of commission and omission, their souls are purified by purgatorial pains after death…

How are these souls assisted? The Council goes on to say: “…that for relief from these pains they (the faithful departed) are benefitted by the suffrages of the faithful in this life, that is, by Masses, prayers, and almsgiving and by other offices of piety usually performed by the faithful for one another according to the practice of the Church.”

We have an obligation then to pray for our relatives and friends who have gone before us. November provides a great opportunity to do so through the offering of the All Souls Novena of Masses and remembrance throughout the month. At the same time, don’t forget to pray for the dead as part of your daily prayers. While the souls in purgatory cannot assist themselves, they can and do pray for those who pray for them.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • January 16, 2026
Today’s readings provide clear and inspiring reminders of the most fundamental aspect of our identity — that of servants of our most high and holy God, His modern-day disciples, and stewards. John the Baptist recognized the holiness of Jesus and the response due to Him when he encountered Christ in person on the day they met at the Jordan River. His response, which we read in our Gospel passage from St. John was, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world… He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” What a powerful description of our Lord and the place He should rightfully have in each of our lives. He is truly our Savior, the only one who can free us from our sinfulness. We are utterly and completely dependent on His power, love, and mercy. Therefore, He truly does “rank ahead” of us; he deserves to be first, above all other priorities and plans in our lives. Let us examine our daily lives and encourage our children to do the same. Does the way I spend my time reflect that God comes first? Do prayer and weekly Mass, regular confession, and time with my family “rank ahead” of everything else on my calendar? Do I use my talents, skills, and energy to serve my family, parish and community in thanksgiving and recognition that God’s kingdom ranks ahead of any other goals or ambitions? Do I spend my money and use my material possessions to glorify God? Challenge questions, to be sure. But questions worthy of our high calling as Christian stewards offered a glorious mission in service of our Lord and His kingdom. What will our response be? © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As I write this, I am just getting back from the Holy Land Pilgrimage with more than 20 of our seminarians. Spending the Octave of Christmas and celebrating the New Year in the Holy Land was very special and being with such a close-knit group was especially heartening. One of the questions that was posed before the pilgrimage began was, “Father, is it safe to go over there?” I can say without a doubt that it is safe to visit the Holy Land. We had no issues. What was sad was to see the Christian community suffering because of the lack of tourists. If you have the opportunity to go to the Holy Land, especially with Christopher Cross, I encourage you to go. The next scheduled trip is in March with Father Martinez. There are still slots available. We began the New Year on the Mount of Beatitudes with Mass and Holy Hour. One of the seminarians noted that it was amazing to the sermon of the Lord in the very place where He gave it while He was there on the altar in the monstrance. Another highlight was having two Masses in the Holy Sepulcher itself. Because of the size of the tomb, many in the group had to participate from the anteroom. One of the seminarians noted that it touched him deeply when the priest came out of the tomb to distribute Communion. “Literally, the Lord was coming out of the Tomb to give Himself to us.” For me personally, the Mass that we celebrated in Bethlehem in the Church of the Nativity complex was very moving. We celebrated Mass in the Chapel of St. Helena on the Feast of St. John the Apostle, just a short walk away from the grotto of the Nativity. The seminarians provided the music for the Mass, and it was “otherworldly”. I could feel the Lord’s presence and was overwhelmed with the reality that we were celebrating Christmas where Christmas was first celebrated. I have no doubt that the experience will impact the life and ministry of each of the seminarians who participated, especially those preparing for priestly or diaconal ordination this coming May. One cannot walk where Jesus walked without leaving with a new appreciation of all that He did for us.  Finally, thank you to all who made this pilgrimage possible. Through your kindness, you have enriched these men and helped them grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

From the Pastor - Baptism of the Lord

By John Putnam • January 9, 2026
Today marks the close of the Christmas season, but before we return to Ordinary Time, we have one more great feast to celebrate — The Baptism of the Lord. Today’s feast is a perfect opportunity to consider the privileges and responsibilities we all share as Christian stewards by virtue of our own Baptism. At the moment of our Baptism, we became adopted sons and daughters of God, members of his holy, Catholic Church. Though we may not have realized it, the moment of our Baptism is also the moment we become Christian stewards, disciples of Jesus Christ, tasked with the work of following in His footsteps day by day and sharing the Gospel message with all those around us. In our second reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter gives us a glimpse of the person of Jesus we should imitate. “He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” We must live our lives like Jesus, seeking to do good to everyone we encounter; not just those in our inner circle of family and friends, but everyone in our community since the Father loves us all and Jesus sought out everyone with His saving message. In the Gospel passage from Matthew, we see yet another aspect of Jesus in action, this time as he humbly stands before John to be baptized by him. What humility and what willingness to unite Himself to us our Lord demonstrates by this act. We can do no less as we live out our daily lives as his disciples. And when we do strive with all our might to live out our Baptismal call to Christian stewardship, we will experience the deep honor of knowing that we, too, are God’s “beloved” sons and daughters “with whom He is well-pleased.” © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As many of you know, on December 17 Bishop Martin issued a pastoral letter concerning the reception of Holy Communion. In that letter, he directed that non-fixed altar rails and kneelers be removed no later than January 16. I want to acknowledge, very simply and honestly, that this has been difficult for many in our parish. I feel that weight as well. I love St. Mark, and I am grateful for the reverence and devotion so many of you show toward the Holy Eucharist. I do not take lightly the concerns, questions, or disappointment this has raised. I am also aware that some of the faithful have made use of the appropriate channels within the Church to petition for clarification or reconsideration, and those processes may continue. At the same time, as your pastor, I am entrusted with leading this parish in fidelity to the Church and her discipline in those matters that do not contradict Catholic law. While there are sincere and thoughtful discussions about posture for receiving Holy Communion, the current liturgical discipline in the United States indicates that Communion is ordinarily received standing, whether on the tongue or in the hand. It is important to state clearly that the right of an individual communicant to kneel remains fully intact, and no one may ever be denied Holy Communion for choosing to do so. Therefore, unless a suspensive decision is issued by the Bishop or by the Dicastery for Divine Worship, we will comply with the directive and remove the kneelers from around the sanctuary. To assist with the reverent and timely distribution of Holy Communion, we will also increase the number of Communion stations. I know this change will be challenging for some. It is not something I approach lightly. My hope is that we can carry this moment together, offering whatever frustration or sorrow we may feel as a personal sacrifice, united to Christ present in the Eucharist. Crosses come in many forms, and how we bear them matters greatly. Let us remain united in prayer and charity, so that anger, bitterness, or division never take root at St. Mark. The weight of the Bishop’s office is a heavy one. I pray for Bishop Martin daily, and I ask that you do the same. Bishop’s office is a heavy one. I pray for him everyday, and I hope that you will as well.  On a happier note, as we come to the end of the Christmas season, I want to thank everyone who dropped off Christmas greetings and goodies. Your kindness is very much appreciated.