From the Pastor - 5th Sunday of Lent

April 8, 2019

From the Pastor – 5th Sunday of Lent

If there is one consistent message in the readings for this Fifth Sunday of Lent, it is that we must look to the future, not to the past. As Catholic Christians, we are a people of eternity, a people who concentrate on the hope and promise of our Lord and Savior. Jesus reminds us many times that His “Kingdom is not of this world.” (Jn 18:36)

Living a life of stewardship places a person with an eye always on that other kingdom. St. Augustine once wrote that “A life of holiness does not lead one to Jesus, but Jesus can lead one to a life of holiness.” That is our challenge as good stewards — to keep our eyes on the Lord, our minds open to His Word., and our hearts open to His love. If we do that in the present, the past will not weigh heavily upon us, and the future will take care of itself.

If we truly attempt to live lives of stewardship, we must keep in mind that we follow that way of life as a “calling.” However, we are not to condemn others because they fail to live that way. We also must remember to love all regardless whether we think they are “good” Christians or not. All of this is fulfilled because we understand that our rewards are in Heaven, not necessarily on earth — in the future, not in the present. The eminent scholar, author, and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis put it this way: “When Christians cease to think of the other world in their future is when they become ineffective in this one.”

Pastoral Pondering

Last week I discussed some points to ponder in relation to Christian burial and Catholic burial rites, and we continue with that discussion this week.

Cremation — Cremation is not the norm in the Catholic Church. The norm is to prepare the body and have the full body present for all the Funeral Rites and then to bury or entomb the body. “The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites. “The Church’s teaching in regard to the human body as well as the Church’s preference for the burial of the body should be a regular part of catechesis on all levels, and pastors should make particular efforts to preserve this important teaching” (OCF, 413-414).

The reasons for the Church’s teaching in this regard include the following: 1. The Lord Himself willed to be buried. “... (the funeral) should be carried out in a way...that clearly expresses the Church’s preference for the custom of burying the dead, after the example of Christ’s own will to be buried.” (OCF 415) 2. On a natural level the presence of the body expresses the manner in which we had been accustomed to relate to the person. (OCF) 3. Values on the supernatural level are affirmed. It teaches the supernatural dignity and destiny of the human body. “The body of a deceased brings forcefully to mind the church’s conviction that the human body is in Christ a temple of the Holy Spirit and is destined for future glory at the resurrection of the dead. This conviction in faith finds its expression in a sustained and insistent prayer that commends the deceased person to God’s merciful care so that his or her place in the communion of the just may be assured.” (OCF)

The Church does not forbid cremation, as long as it is not chosen in opposition to the Church’s teaching. However, as noted above, it is certainly not what Catholic funeral rites envision. Oftentimes folks choose cremation because of related expenses. It should be kept in mind though that it is possible to bury the body with only modest funeral expenses involved and there are many options of in-ground vaults or above-ground vaults. We should provide for this worthy expense in honor of the creation of God we were. Much money is spent during our lives on so many other matters and we should make provision for our full body burial. Sometimes this method is not much more than cremation services.

When cremation is chosen the following should be remembered: 1. If for some good reason a person is to be cremated, the Church asks that we do this after the Mass of Christian Burial. This means that an inexpensive casket must be purchased or rented from the funeral home. 2. After cremation the cremated remains are to be placed in a worthy vessel (not a simple box) and must be buried or placed in a columbarium with the Rite of Committal. The place of burial or inurnment should be clearly marked with the pertinent information of the deceased indicated. 3. The remains are never to be kept in anyone’s home, divided among family members, made into jewelry or scattered in any way or anywhere. We will not have a funeral at St. Mark unless we have notice from the funeral director and/or cemetery where the remains are to be interred if they are to be interred in another place at a later date.

A place of burial is important because our cemeteries are places of great sign value as were the catacombs of old. The grave and the marker are visible signs that a person did live and that it mattered that he or she lived. Years from now someone will walk by our graves and remember us and that it was important that we lived and died. Cemeteries are places of catechesis about death and they are places of prayer in the context of the communion of saints and our waiting for the final coming of the Lord

If you would like assistance in pre-planning for your funeral Mass, please contact the parish office. Deacon Louie or Deacon Rich normally coordinate this, and they would be more than happy to assist you in any way you can. Taking time to plan beforehand, makes everyone’s life easier when our earthly journey comes to an end.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • November 6, 2026
Wisdom is at the heart of today's readings. It is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and an essential gift for living the stewardship way of life. As Christian stewards, we should continually ask the Holy Spirit to deepen this gift within us. In today's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom. Five are wise, and five are foolish. The wise virgins prepare ahead of time, bringing enough oil to keep their lamps burning. The foolish ones fail to prepare and are caught off guard when the bridegroom arrives. Jesus concludes with this reminder: "Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Stewardship helps us live with that same spirit of readiness. When we seek the Lord each day through prayer, the sacraments, and the faithful use of the gifts He has entrusted to us, we keep our hearts prepared to meet Him whenever He calls. That is the wisdom Christ desires for each of us. © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026 Pastoral Pondering - Rooting Out Anger Few things disturb the peace of a home, a parish, or a soul as quickly as anger. A sharp word at the dinner table, a resentful silence after Mass, a flash of irritation in traffic-each seems small in the moment, yet the Fathers of the Church warn us that anger is a deadly poison. St. John Cassian, the great monastic teacher whose writings shaped Western spirituality, dedicated an entire book of his Institutes to this vice. His counsel is bracing and practical for us today. Cassian insists that anger must be "utterly rooted out from the inmost corners of our soul." As long as it remains, it blinds the eye of the heart. We lose right judgment, the capacity for true counsel, and even the ability to pray. "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" (James 1:20). Whether the provocation seems just or unjust makes little difference: anger covers the eyes of the soul like a plate of gold or lead- the value of the metal does not restore sight. He rejects the common excuse that we may be angry with those who do wrong, or that Scripture's language of God's "anger" justifies our own passion. God is free from all disturbance; the biblical language of divine anger is metaphorical, pointing to His just judgment, not to a human emotion we may imitate. To use it as permission for our own resentment is, Cassian says, to draw from the Scriptures an occasion of sin rather than a remedy of holiness. There is, however, one legitimate use of the energy of anger: we may and should be indignant against the evil thoughts and disordered desires that rise within our own hearts. When we are ashamed of what we would never say or do before others, yet find it stirring inside, we are to rage against that disorder, trembling before the all-seeing eye of God. In this sense the psalmist's "Be angry and sin not" (Psalm 4:4) and St. Paul's citation of it (Ephesians 4:26) are understood: be angry with your own faults, lest the Sun of Righteousness set upon a darkened mind and the devil be given place. Cassian's remedies are simple and severe. First, make a firm resolution never to be angry at all-neither for good reasons nor bad. The moment the passion enters, discernment is lost and the soul can no longer be a temple of the Holy Spirit. Second, never attempt to pray while angry; such prayer is obstinate rebellion. Third, keep daily before your eyes the uncertainty of life and the certainty of judgment. All our other efforts- Mass, fasting, works of charity- profit nothing if anger and hatred alone bring us to eternal punishment. Practically, this means catching the first interior movement of irritation and turning it at once into sorrow for our own impatience. It means refusing to nurse the grievance past sunset, seeking reconciliation before the next Holy Communion, and enlarging the heart with patience so that the "waves of anger" are received and dissipated rather than confined and intensified. Peace, Cassian reminds us, does not depend on the conduct of others; it lies in our own control. In the confessional and in the daily struggle of parish life, I see how often this vice wounds families and friendships. Let us ask the Lord, who is meek and humble of heart, to give us the grace to root it out. May the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and our parish. In other news, due to an unexpected leave, I have been appointed as Vicar General and Chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte by Bishop Martin. While this appointment is expected to be temporary, during the interim, it will make my ability to take appointments rather limited. Please be patient with the office staff as they try to accommodate those needs along with my additional responsibilities.

From the Pastor - All Saints Day

By John Putnam • October 30, 2026
On this Solemnity of All Saints, we have the profound joy of celebrating our brothers and sisters in Christ, the saints. This is an especially meaningful feast for us as Christian stewards. At Baptism, each of us receives the call to holiness and discipleship. In other words, we are all called to become saints. Holiness is not reserved for a select few. It is God's desire for every one of His children. The stewardship way of life helps us answer that call each day. In today's Gospel from Matthew, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes. They reveal the qualities that mark the lives of His disciples and point us toward authentic holiness. As we continue striving to live as faithful stewards, the Beatitudes provide a faithful measure of our growth in Christ. The "blessed" that Jesus describes are not different categories of people who make it to heaven. Rather, they reveal the character of those who belong to Him - the poor in spirit, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers, and all who remain faithful in the midst of trials. None of us can live this way on our own. But as beloved children of God, we receive the grace we need through prayer, the sacraments, and a life centered on Christ. May the example of the saints inspire us to persevere in our own call to holiness, trusting that one day we will join them in the everlasting joy of heaven. © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026 Pastoral Pondering October brought us the Church's renewed attention to mental health. Pope Leo XIV has asked us this month to pray that our communities become places where those who carry unseen burdens find welcome, dignity, and hope- not judgment or silence. Many of those burdens are carried by women and girls. Some have lived through abuse, assault, or trauma that few around them even know about. Recent headlines, including those from Cornell University, have reminded the whole country how widespread these wounds are and how alone many survivors feel. Regardless of the outcome and veracity of the Cornell case, these types of cases exist closer to home. Women in our own parish and community often suffer quietly, unsure where to turn or whether anyone will truly understand. There is help, and there is hope. Healed and Restored, the local Catholic ministry founded by our own parishioner Elza Spaedy, exists precisely for this purpose. Through counseling, workshops, spiritual mentoring, retreats, and a supportive community, it walks with women and girls who have experienced abuse, assault, domestic violence, trafficking, or other trauma. Rooted in faith, it helps them encounter the Divine Physician who alone can restore what has been broken and discover that their wounds do not define them. Many of the women who have walked this path have found real freedom and a renewed sense of their dignity as daughters of God. If you are carrying a wound like this, or if you know someone who is, I encourage you to reach out. Information is available at healedandrestored.org. And if you simply want to stand with those who are hurting, please keep them in your prayers. Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer is to notice, to listen without fear, and to point someone toward the healing Christ offers. May the Lord who binds up the brokenhearted make our parish a place of true restoration.