From the Pastor – Second Sunday of Lent

February 26, 2018

From the Pastor – Second Sunday of Lent – February 25, 2018

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) posts notes regarding all the Books of the Bible. In its introduction to Paul’s Letter to the Romans (our Second Reading), the USCCB says, “Of all the letters of Paul, that to the Christians at Rome has long held pride of place. It is the longest and most systematic unfolding of the apostle’s thought, expounding the gospel of God’s righteousness that saves all who believe; it reflects a universal outlook.”

Paul’s Letter to the Romans is in fact the longest of his letters in the New Testament (Romans is more than 7,000 words; that is much shorter, of course, than the shortest Gospel, Mark, which is still more than 11,000 words.) However, as stated by the Bishops, the Letter to the Romans explained in a more detailed way Paul’s theology and spirituality than any other letter.

Regardless the length, today’s reading contains a statement with which many of us are familiar, but which has great meaning: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” The significance of that is that if we are on the side of righteousness, which should be a major goal of our Lenten experience, there should be nothing to threaten us.

We understand that we will be judged. Paul’s point is if we are judged “not guilty” by God, who can bring an additional charge with any merit? Or, if Jesus is our advocate, promoting our benefit, then who can condemn us? This is the time to place our trust in God, and in His love.

Pastoral Pondering

Since New Year’s Day a group of men in the parish has been participating in Exodus 90 and a group of women in Proverbs 90. The purpose of both is to help those participating focus on what Scripture calls “the higher gifts” (1 Cor. 12). It is very easy for us to get caught up in the “things of the world” (1 John 2:15) and to forget those things that are eternally important.

In the men’s program, participants receive daily email messages with a passage from the book of Exodus and a brief reflection. The meditation for Day 45 focused on the Sense of the Sacred. In Exodus 19:1-15 the Lord instructs Moses to teach the people of how they are to prepare for their encounter with Him at Sinai. The people are to wash themselves and their clothes, fast, and pray. They are also warned not to come close to the mountain or even touch it under pain of death. They are also told that they are to be God’s “own possession”.

In the reflection, the writer ponders how important it is to realize a sense of the sacred in our lives, especially in the way in which we approach Holy Mass and the House of God. The Israelite took great pains to observe God’s instructions to Moses. We too are called to realize that what we do at Mass is different from anything else that we do in the world.

Unlike the Israelites who were forbidden to even touch the mountain, we are invited to actually receive God into ourselves through the Eucharist. However, we have to be mindful that such an august gift requires an appropriate response on our part. How we prepare to assist at the Holy Sacrifice should be no less important for us than preparing for their encounter was for the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai. This is the point of the meditation I mention above. As the meditation’s author points out:

“Americans have lost the sense of the sacred. Rarely do we stand in awe before the Lord and ponder our insignificance before Him.  Consider for a moment our own parish Churches; in most places, the days are gone when people treated the sanctuary with great sensitivity and respect; days when people rarely entered the sanctuary unless properly vested and prepared. The Hebrew people were advised to wash their garments and prepare to receive the Lord. Today, grown men can be see attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ungroomed, wearing flip flops, shorts and a tank top and, God forbid, if they are questioned or challenged about their appearance, they scowl and are incensed, demanding they not be judged. ‘At least I am here,’ is the shallow defense presented.

In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we are presented to God, who abides spiritually in the Sacred Scriptures and substantially in the Eucharist, present “under the appearance of bread and wine”. A Catholic who desires the relationship given above, to be “my own possession” as God said above, will properly discern what is before him and will humbly present himself to the Lord properly prepared and as ready as he can be. Anything else is an offense against God and is a sacrilege!”

Over the next few weeks, I will be writing about different aspects of reverence that will help us all more fruitfully experience our encounter with God.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 22, 2025
Today’s readings show us that it is not enough to be Christ’s disciples in name only. To be a real disciple, we must live for Christ every day and in every aspect of life. This kind of life takes strength and discipline. Intentionally and consistently offering the Lord the best of our Time, Talent, and Treasure through a stewardship way of life is a form of spiritual discipline. These spiritual disciplines teach us to become ever more aware of God’s constant provision for us and they keep us on the narrow path towards the Kingdom of Heaven. The more we embrace this way of life, the more we can be “trained” by the Lord in the ways of true discipleship. Though difficult, these disciplines become a source of spiritual strength. Our Lord Himself speaks of the difficult path to the Kingdom of Heaven in today’s Gospel passage from Luke. He is asked, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” Jesus responds, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” Showing up for Mass on Sunday while living as if Christ is an afterthought the rest of the week does not make us disciples. What’s more, this approach to our faith is an unjust and unloving response to our good God who has given us all that we have and are. Jesus does not want us to merely go through the motions of faith. He wants much more from us and for us. He wants to know us deeply and for us to get to know Him so that we become His holy disciples. This is not a burden; it is a privilege. But it does take discipline, the discipline of a stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As the school year ramps up again, I wanted to let you know that another young man from the parish has begun his propaedeutic year at St. Joseph College Seminary. John Yellico, the son of Glen and Lissette Yellico, was accepted to the program earlier this summer. He is also the brother of Father Joseph Yellico, recently ordained and Sister Mary Agnes Yellico of the Daughters of the Virgin Mother. Please keep him and all of our seminarians in your prayers. Recently, the Diocese has been working on developing policies to govern the use of artificial intelligence for our employees and ministry sites. AI is almost constantly in the news and most everyone is familiar with Chat GPT, Truthly (the Catholic option) and any number of other efforts to harness this new technology. Earlier this year, the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a document dealing with this topic. I thought it might be useful, therefore, to offer some thoughts that might be helpful to some of you. Here’s a pastoral reflection based on Antiqua et Nova, tailored for inclusion in a pastoral letter: In our time, we are witnessing extraordinary advances in technology, especially in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). These developments bring both promise and challenge, and as your pastor, I feel called to reflect with you on what this means for our faith, our humanity, and our shared journey toward holiness. The Vatican’s recent document, Antiqua et Nova, reminds us that while AI may imitate certain aspects of human intelligence, it cannot replicate the fullness of what it means to be human. Our intelligence is not merely computational—it is relational, moral, and spiritual. It is a gift from God, rooted in our capacity to love, to discern, and to seek truth. AI can assist us in many ways, from medicine to education to communication. But we must never forget that machines do not possess souls. They do not pray, suffer, or hope. They do not know mercy or grace. Only we, created in the image and likeness of God, bear the responsibility to use these tools wisely, ensuring they serve the dignity of every person. Let us not be seduced by the illusion that technology can replace human wisdom or divine guidance. Instead, let us cultivate a “wisdom of heart,” as the document urges—a wisdom that listens to the Spirit, that seeks justice, and that places love above efficiency. In our homes, schools, and parishes, may we teach our children not only how to use technology, but how to remain human in a digital age. May we accompany one another with compassion, and may our choices reflect the Gospel values of truth, humility, and care for the vulnerable. Let us pray for discernment, for courage, and for a renewed commitment to the common good. And may we always remember: the most powerful intelligence is not artificial—it is the wisdom that comes from walking humbly with our God. The full document is worth the read and may be found on the Vatican website at Antiqua et nova. Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence (28 January 2025)

From the Pastor - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 22, 2025
Today’s readings set a high bar for us Christian stewards, reminding us that a stewardship way of life is meant to be a challenging way of life. In the second reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are told to live as Christ lived. And how did Christ live? “For the sake of the joy that lay before Him He endured the cross.” If we are tempted to complain about the sufferings we must endure in living as Christ’s disciples, we are told, “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” In other words, “If you’re not bleeding, what are you complaining about?” That is quite a high bar! The Gospel reading from Luke continues this challenging theme. Our Lord tells His disciples “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.” A couple of verses later Jesus adds, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Jesus’s life on this earth and the message He brought were not meant to simply make us feel good. In fact, His words can make us downright uncomfortable at times. That’s because His Good News (and it is indeed good news!) is meant to change us, to make saints of us. The stewardship way of life sets a high bar indeed. But deeply embraced, this way of life focused on God and others will make us the saints we are called to be. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering Most of you are probably familiar with a non-Catholic who accuses Catholics of “worshipping Mary and the saints”. This is, of course, false, but it shows a misunderstanding of Catholic theology and Catholic understanding of the various types of worship and veneration. I thought it would be helpful to lay this out in a simple way for everyone’s benefit. In Catholic theology, dulia , hyperdulia , and latria are terms used to describe distinct types of reverence or worship offered to God, the saints, and the Virgin Mary. - Latria : This is the highest form of worship, reserved exclusively for God (the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It involves adoration, acknowledging God's supreme divinity and sovereignty. Latria is expressed through acts like the Mass, prayer, and sacrifice, directed solely to God. - Dulia : This is the veneration or honor given to saints, recognizing their holiness and their role as intercessors before God. Dulia is a lesser form of reverence compared to latria, as saints are not divine but are honored for their exemplary lives and closeness to God. This is expressed through prayers asking for saints' intercession, feasts in their honor, or devotion to their relics. - Hyperdulia : This is a special, elevated form of dulia reserved exclusively for the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Hyperdulia acknowledges Mary's unique role in salvation history, surpassing the honor given to other saints due to her divine maternity and sinlessness, but it remains distinct from and subordinate to latria. It is expressed through devotions like the Rosary or Marian feast days.  In summary, latria is worship for God alone, dulia is veneration for saints, and hyperdulia is a higher veneration for Mary, all carefully distinguished to maintain the centrality of God’s worship in Catholic practice.