From the Pastor – 3rd Sunday of Lent

March 5, 2018

From the Pastor – 3 rd Sunday of Lent

Our First Reading from the Old Testament Book of Exodus presents the Ten Commandments, as God gave them to Moses. The Commandments also appear in the Book of Deuteronomy (Chapter 5; verses 6-21). The Commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament by Jesus Himself and especially in the Gospel of John.

The Ten Commandments are also called the “Decalogue,” which means literally “ten words.” According to the  Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2056) “God revealed these ‘ten words’ to His people on the holy mountain. They were written ‘with the finger of God.’ They are pre-eminently the words of God”.

At another point the Catechism fortifies the Commandments by saying, “…from generation to generation…the ‘deposit’ of moral teaching has been handed on. Along with the Creed and the Our Father, the basis for catechesis has traditionally been the Decalogue, which sets out the principles of moral life valid for all people.” (#2033)

The Commandments are considered essential for spiritual good health and growth. They serve as the basis for Catholic social justice. A review of the Ten Commandments is a common type of examination of conscience before receiving the sacrament of Penance.

As Lent draws to a close, it is important for each of us to go to confession and receive the sacrament of Penance. As part of that we may wish to look at our lives and how we live them through the holy words of the Ten Commandments.

Pastoral Pondering

In continuing our discussion of reverence, I think one of the first things that we need to consider is “Who is God?”. The following reflection by Father Brian Doerr does a good job of laying out the issue.

Who is the real God? For so many years, God has been portrayed to us as a mild individual, approachable, nothing to fear. A recent best seller portrayed the Trinity as an African-American woman (the Father), an Asian Woman (the Holy Spirit) and a hippy-like drop out (the Son) that hung out in an old dilapidated shack. Rather than man’s inspired realization that he is made in the image and likeness of God, modern man has made God in his own image and likeness. We have it backward!

The Scriptures that teach us that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”  (Proverbs 9:10) are completely forgotten. Think of your own father; chances are, although you love him profoundly, you also had a reverential fear of him. Otherwise he would not inspire you, nor would you respect him. The same is true for any good mentor: if he cannot generate a reverential fear or respect, he is completely ineffective. God is utter incomprehensibility and all-powerful. He is infinitely “Other”. This is not to say a man must dread his God, but he is deluding himself if he considers his God to be harmless and irrelevant.

[In the book of Exodus] the people are alerted to the presence of God via the trumpet: “the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder…” as God approached. Trumpets sound in Sacred Scripture for two prominent reasons: to call men to battle and to call men to prayer. Ironic the two would be combined under the same sign. Or perhaps it is not ironic; perhaps the blare of the trumpet calls us to the battle of prayer as warriors for God. Men will not rally and fight for a leader they do not respect. Although it is not politically correct to say, the familiar words of Psalm 68 give a perfect description of God’s triumph: “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked [the Evil One] perish before God!” (Father Brian Doerr, Exodus: Ninety Days , South Bend, Those Catholic Men, 2016, p. 168.)

Before we can understand the importance of reverence, we have to understand who God is. We must always remember that He is God, and we are not no matter how often we try to convince ourselves otherwise.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Third Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • May 2, 2025
In today’s Gospel, we find the Apostles dejected and discouraged following the death of our Lord. Poor Peter decides to throw in the towel on the whole disciple thing and go back to his old way of life, declaring, “I’m going fishing.” Upon hearing this, the other disciples follow him. How easy it is for all of us to backslide on changes we have made in our lives, especially when it comes to our spiritual lives. But look how Jesus treats the disciples during their “backslide.” He is right there with them in the midst of it, already waiting for them on the shore when they come back from their unsuccessful return to the fishing business (after abandoning their mission as disciples). Our Lord greets them tenderly, gives them some fishing pointers, and then prepares their breakfast. How gracious He is to them! He is just as gracious today. When we find ourselves “out at sea” — discouraged by our failures or for squandering the gifts God has given us, or simply by a lack of progress in our faith life, Jesus is with us! He is calling to us from the shore to come back to Him without shame or embarrassment, but with hope-filled trust in His steadfast love. He never tires of offering “do-overs” if we just keep returning to Him. This constant process of turning back to the Lord, of reevaluating our goals and priorities as we aim for Heaven, is the essence of a stewardship way of life. Let us take heart as we continue our journey today, secure in the knowledge that Jesus is beside us every step of the way. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering The process of electing a new Pope is one that has marked and impacted history for centuries. It is still a process, despite movies and books concerning the process, that is surrounded by some mystery. Once the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church declares that the Pope is dead, a whole set of processes are set in motion. While the daily work of the Holy See continues, there can be no innovations. The task of preparing for the funeral of the deceased pope and preparing for the coming conclave is entrusted to the Cardinal Camerlengo (Kevin Cardinal Farrell) under the guidance of the body of cardinals. All cardinals, regardless of age, can participate in the various consultations that occur prior to the conclave. Only those cardinals who are less than 80 years of age can actually participate in the conclave and choose the next pope. The voting cardinals are sworn to secrecy and are locked into the Sistine chapel where four votes can occur each day. A two-thirds majority of the cardinal-electors is required for a new pope to be chosen. If a ballot is indecisive, the ballots are burned, and black smoke is released from the chapel. When a pope is elected, the ballots are burned, and white smoke is released. When a new pope is chosen, he has to accept his election and, if he accepts, choose his pontifical name. He then changes into papal garb and is presented from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.  As we await the Papal election, please continue to pray for the Church and the cardinal-electors. Their task is a heavy responsibility. Our union with them in prayer will assist them to be attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and carry out their task with fidelity and determination.

From the Pastor - Divine Mercy Sunday

By John Putnam • April 25, 2025
Today, the Second Sunday of Easter, is Divine Mercy Sunday. Our Gospel reading from St. John is often called the story of “Doubting Thomas” but the passage involves so much more than the encounter with the skeptical apostle. It is rich with lessons of Christ’s mercy to all, including an encouraging word from our Lord especially for us, His modern-day disciples. While Thomas traditionally takes all the bad rap for his doubts, we see that none of the Apostles were at their best when Christ first appeared to them after His resurrection. They were actually in hiding, cowering behind a locked door, paralyzed by fear and doubt. But Jesus appeared right in their midst in spite of the lock on the door. Was it to rebuke them for their lack of faith? Quite the contrary. He comes on a mission of mercy. He comes to offer them peace and the restoration of their relationship with Him. And even more, He commissions them to become ministers of His mercy, by giving them authority to forgive sins. At that moment Christ gives to all of us the supreme gift of mercy — the sacrament of Reconciliation. What a precious and powerful gift! This Sunday is a perfect time to reflect on how well we make use of this gift. Do we really appreciate its healing power? Could we become better stewards of this gift by going to Confession more often? We must also reflect on how well we extend mercy to others as Jesus did to Thomas that day. Let’s commit ourselves to becoming faithful disciples and stewards of Christ’s mercy. We will be those very ones to whom Jesus gave a “shout out” during His encounter with Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” — in His merciful love. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering The mercy of God is at the very heart of the Catholic faith. It's not just one of God's many attributes — it is His very essence revealed in love . As Pope Francis often reminds us, “The name of God is mercy.” In Scripture, we see God's mercy from the very beginning. After the fall of Adam and Eve, though justice demanded consequence, God clothed them and promised a Savior. Time and again, throughout the Old Testament, we see Israel turning away from God — and yet, He never stops reaching out with compassion, calling His people back to Himself. That mercy takes on flesh in the New Testament — in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the face of the Father’s mercy. He dines with sinners, touches the untouchable, forgives the unforgivable. Think of the woman caught in adultery: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.” Or the prodigal son - who finds not punishment upon return, but a father running to embrace him.  In the Catholic Church, mercy is not just a concept — it is sacramental. We encounter the mercy of God tangibly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There, in the confessional, we do not meet a harsh judge, but Christ the Good Shepherd, lifting us up and carrying us back home. No sin is too great. No past too far gone. St. Faustina, the apostle of Divine Mercy, reminds us that God’s mercy is an “ocean” — and we are just little drops. But mercy isn’t meant to stop with us. It flows through us. As we receive God's mercy, we're called to be merciful: to forgive, to withhold judgment, to show compassion to the poor, the suffering, the lonely. The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy are concrete ways Catholics live this out. So, when we speak of mercy, we speak of the very Gospel. God, rich in mercy, reaches into our brokenness, and instead of turning away, He embraces it, transforms it, and redeems it. With the death of Pope Francis, the Church enters a period of transition. The Pope’s legacy is one of concern for the poor and those on the margins. His writing and teaching often focused on the immense mercy of God and his love of the Gospel. Our task is to follow his example and strive each day to allow Gospel joy to guide us and lead us to bring Christ to the world. Let us also pray for the Universal Church, the cardinal-electors who have the immense responsibility of selecting a new successor to St. Peter, and for all of us that we may come together as a Church family and ask God to bless us with a new shepherd.
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