From the Pastor – Baptism of the Lord

January 14, 2019

From the Pastor – Baptism of the Lord

As we celebrate this feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we can study His actions at the Jordan River as a powerful example of servant leadership. We see in Jesus a type of leadership that is characterized by humility and leading by example.

Certainly, the sinless Savior did not need a baptism of repentance! But Jesus humbly made Himself one with his people to draw us to Him and create a relationship with us so that we would be open to His teachings and influence.

As a servant leader, we also see that Jesus leads by example. He doesn’t just tell the people they need to be baptized. He shows them how and does it Himself to teach them. To lead like Jesus, we, too, must “walk the walk” and not just “talk the talk.” If we want those we lead to be generous and hard-working, then we must show them how to do this by demonstrating generosity and hard work ourselves.

Immediately after His baptism, we learn of the powerful affirmation of the Father who opens the heavens, sends the Holy Spirit upon Jesus in bodily form and says audibly, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.” Let us be filled with gratitude for our amazing God and be reminded that when we are grateful followers of Jesus and servant-leaders in imitation of Him, the Father will be well-pleased with us, too.

Pastoral Pondering

As the Christmas season comes to a close, Father Becker, Father Carter and I want to thank everyone for your Christmas greetings and the goodies that were dropped off at the rectory.

As we progress into the New Year, I also wanted to give you an update on various things:

Christmas Masses – In evaluating the Christmas Mass Schedule and considering what changes might be helpful, it is clear we really have outgrown our ability to have simultaneous Masses on campus. We are, therefore, looking into the possibility of arranging the schedule on campus to coincide with Masses at other locations to alleviate some of the congestion, especially parking, that occurred. We are taking this into consideration for Easter as well. I will keep you posted on the final plan.

Sound System – We have had the sound system evaluated by several different experts in such things and have decided to replace old equipment and basically re-make the sound system. The ongoing problems have been a source of frustration for many folks, and we hope that this will truly be a final solution.

Stained Glass Windows – Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners, all but five (5) of our 22 windows have been fully sponsored. Those that remain unsponsored or partially sponsored are: 1) The Old Testament (Moses with 10 Commandments), 2) The Baptism of Christ, 3) The Scourging at the Pillar, 4) The Coronation of Our Lady, and 5) The Catholic Church (St. Peter and the Keys). This last window we wanted to install in honor of the priests and deacons who have served at St. Mark. At present it is only partially funded ($5,475). General donations for the parishioner window is $7,413. We expect that the sponsored windows will be installed over the coming weeks. The artist is working on them in the order that they were sponsored. Anyone interested in sponsoring or partially sponsoring a window may contact Rose Abell at rmabell51@gmail.com.

I have been asked whether the transept windows will be utilized at some point. While there are no immediate plans, the thought has been to have those as additional saints to compliment the statuary already in the transepts. We would not pursue this until the windows in the nave are completed.

Finally, several the pastors in the Diocese have had imposter email addresses set up in order to scam parishioners. Please remember only email addresses from the parish @stmarknc.org are valid email addresses. Delete anything else. If one of our priests needs help or assistance, we will call you. And while I like gift cards, I don’t make it a practice of asking folks to send me one. :)

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.