From the Pastor - 2nd Sunday in Lent

March 25, 2022

In last week’s Gospel, we followed Jesus into the desert where He fasted and prayed. This week, He leads us up a mountain to witness His Transfiguration. Why both of these experiences?


He is preparing us to go with Him in a few short weeks to a hilltop — Golgotha — where He will lay down His life for our sake, and then finally to take us to an empty cave where He triumphed over sin and death once and for all.


Jesus perfectly understands our humanity. He knows we need desert experiences — times of self-denial and testing — in order to arrive at mountain-top moments when we see and feel His glorious presence in our lives. The purpose of these two types of experiences is summed up in the description of the Apostles who were with Jesus at that mountain-top experience in today’s Gospel: “Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory….”


The reason for all of our fasting and prayer and almsgiving during lent is to be reawakened to all God has done for humanity, and to all that He has done for each of us personally. It is all too easy to get lulled into complacency in our daily routines, to “sleepwalk” through life, getting up and getting ourselves out the door, going to work, returning home for dinner and dishes, meetings, or sports activities, and finally flopping on the couch to watch TV until bedtime. While there is nothing inherently sinful in this routine, as Christian stewards, we are called to so much more!


This lent, let us train ourselves, or more precisely, allow Him to train us to say “Yes” to His will and to offer our lives back to Him in gratitude. In so doing, we, too, will become “transfigured.” This is what it means to live fully awake; this is a stewardship way of life and it is glorious indeed.

© Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2022

 

Pastoral Pondering

Last week I wrote about Kerygma in general. This week we move to Eucharistic Kerygma specifically. The Eucharist makes present the one saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary. This is the central event of the Kerygma of the Church. St. Thomas Aquinas notes that the Eucharist is the foundation of the Church’s doctrine because it is the “premiere sacramental sign of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary.” It is that which makes Christ and His love for us present in the Church.


Traditionally, the Church understands that the Eucharist is both a sacrifice and a sacrificial meal. The Bishops notes this in their document. They also note that while the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist has primacy, this is “not opposed to the meal or banquet aspect of the Mass. Following the Second Vatican Council, there was a good bit of liturgical experimentation that, while well-intentioned more often than not, focused too much on the meal aspect to the detriment of the sacrificial aspect. The sacrificial meal is made concrete in Communion.


No one can ignore the fact that our society is divided; some would say broken. The bonds that once united us have been dimmed and, in some cases, apparently erased. This reality became even more apparent during everything surrounding the pandemic; although, this was not the beginning by any means. Hence, communion, and a proper understanding of it, is absolutely necessary not only for the good of society, but also for the good of our souls.



Our present culture is very focused on individualism. Interaction with others is quickly becoming more virtual than actual. There is a tendency to assume the worst of others rather than giving the benefit of the doubt. And, far too often, if someone has a different outlook than we do, they are vilified rather than engaged in sincere debate and discussion. Hence, as Roland Millard points out in his excellent summary, “The message of the communion brought about by the Holy Eucharist needs to be proclaimed with renewed vigor. The gift of sacramental graces, the increase of sanctifying graces, the strengthening of the life of virtue, and the grace offered to conquer sin and temptation are essential teachings that should be highlighted during this period of intentional Eucharistic focus.”

 

All of us, clergy and laity alike, should be promoting a better understanding of communion as we understand it in connection to Communion. A renewed understanding of Eucharistic communion includes the worthy and frequent reception of Communion, taking the time to prepare to receive and thanking the Lord in thanksgiving after, the importance of Eucharistic adoration and a greater awareness of spiritual Communion in between those times when we can be physically present at Holy Mass.

 

The majority of the public attention given to the Bishops’ document focused on how it would address Catholic politicians who hold public positions contrary to the faith, and this was not ignored, but it was not the primary focus of the document. The bishop, in his diocese, is to “guard the integrity of the sacrament, the visible communion of the Church, and the salvation of souls.” Each Catholic, however, also has a responsibility; namely, he or she has the responsibility “to discern with the aid of a well-formed conscience whether he or she is properly disposed to receive Communion.” Nonetheless, the Church also has a responsibility of protecting the sacrament and taking steps to avoid scandal and sacrilege. In the end, the matter has nothing to do with politics, it is about the spiritual communion that binds us together as a Church.

 

How do we as a parish encourage a greater understanding of both communion and Communion? Some things we are already doing. The Adoration Chapel is a great gift to the Church and a legacy that Monsignor Bellow left to St. Mark. Pope Benedict noted that, “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself.” In addition fostering holy hours, processions and participation in the annual Eucharistic Congress can all be a great aid to increasing awareness of this central reality of our faith. Doing these things then can lead to a greater understanding of communion. When we love the Lord, we are naturally led to love our neighbor. Forming strong relationships with those who share the faith and live it is an essential way of fostering not only a deeper understanding of the faith lived, but also a community in which we can be encouraged and challenged to do better and to grow in our efforts to draw others to the Lord.

 


From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Pentecost

By John Putnam • June 6, 2025
Today we reach the finale of the Easter season with the celebration of the great Feast of Pentecost. Reflecting on today’s readings, inspires a sense of awe as we consider the mighty power of the Holy Spirit at work giving birth to and sustaining our Church. Just as awesome — the same Spirit is calling to us this day to take up our part in the Church’s saving work. In the first reading, from Acts, we see the creative genius of the Holy Spirit moving through the newly confirmed Apostles “who began to speak in different tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” The large crowd, gathered from all over the world were “amazed” and “astounded” that each one could understand the Apostles speaking in their own language. Each one of us, young and old alike, is personally called today by the Holy Spirit into the same mission as that of the first Apostles — to advance the Kingdom of God in our corner of the world. Just as He did on that Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit speaks to us in our “own language” to give us the Good News of the Gospel and urge us to share it. We can think of our own language as the particular gifts, talents, and passions we possess. We experience the presence of the Holy Spirit through them and we are meant to put them to work in grateful service of the Kingdom of God. When we consider the stewardship way of life we are called to live, we often focus on the challenges it poses. Surrendering ourselves to God is indeed a challenging way to live. But it leads to a life that is exciting, creative, and deeply rewarding. Stewardship allows us to experience life as a great adventure because it is a life guided and directed by the very source of power and creativity— the Holy Spirit! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering At the dawn of creation, the Spirit hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2). In that very moment, God breathed life into the world. That same breath, that same Spirit, was breathed into the apostles when Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22) The Holy Spirit is not an abstract force. He is the breath of God , the Giver of Life, who animates the Church and renews our hearts. Without the Spirit, we are like dry bones in a desert. With Him, we are brought to life and made new. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Spirit descends upon the disciples like tongues of fire, and they begin to speak in different languages. But notice this: though they spoke in many tongues, they all understood one another . The Spirit doesn’t cause confusion—He brings unity. In a world divided by language, culture, politics, and pride, the Holy Spirit builds communion. He makes us one body in Christ. He does not erase our differences, but He harmonizes them. As St. Paul says, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.” We are each unique, with our own gifts and personalities. But the Holy Spirit brings those together for the common good of the Church. Unity in diversity—that is the hallmark of the Spirit. The apostles were afraid and hiding before the Spirit came. But when the Spirit descended, they were transformed. Cowards became courageous. Fishermen became preachers. Ordinary men became saints. That is what the Holy Spirit does. We too are sent—into our families, our workplaces, our communities. We are sent to proclaim the Gospel not always with words, but with our lives. We are called to be witnesses of mercy, joy, and truth in a world desperately thirsting for God. And the good news is: we are not alone . The Spirit is our Advocate, our Helper, our Strength. He prays in us when we do not know how to pray. He inspires, guides, convicts, and consoles. Let us open our hearts more fully to the Holy Spirit. Invite Him into your life daily. Ask Him to stir up in you the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Let us not treat the Holy Spirit as a distant mystery, but as a close companion. Let us walk by the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and be on fire with the Spirit.  Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Amen.

From the Pastor - Seventh Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • May 30, 2025
On this Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ’s triumphant return to the Father after perfectly accomplishing His mission on earth. But we also can also view this Feast as a celebration of the “launch day” of our commissioning as Christ’s disciples. Today’s Gospel draws our attention to the clear instructions that Jesus gave His disciples (and to us) just before ascending to the Father: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Embracing a stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the use of time, talent and treasure, helps us to live in such a way that our very lives speak as a witness of the Good News of the Gospel. While we take time to reflect and renew our commitments in these three areas annually as a parish family, it is of great benefit to take some time individually throughout the year to take stock of the commitments we have made — looking at both our strengths and our need for continued growth in each area. On this Feast of our "launch day," take some time to celebrate your victories as Christ’s disciples and renew your commitment to remain faithful to Him and the unique mission He has entrusted to you! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering In Matthew 28:20 Jesus reminds the apostles, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” I have always taken great strength and consolation from these words. They are foreshadowed in the Old Testament in Isaiah 41:20: “Fear not for I am with you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” These are words from a God who loves us and who desires our good. A God who desires to make His dwelling with us and to inspire us to live lives worthy of Himself. They are words that help us prepare ourselves to celebrate Pentecost and to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit in us and among us.  Next Saturday evening, we will celebrate the Rite of Confirmation and Reception into Full Communion with our candidates who have been participating in the OCIA process. Please keep them in your prayers and help them find their place within our parish community. In the morning next Saturday, we are privileged to host the diaconate ordination for seven of our diocesan seminarians. As noted previously, one of them, Michael Lugo, will be with us for the summer. This parish is phenomenal in helping these young men find their “ministerial feet” so to speak. And we always welcome the opportunity to be blessed with their enthusiasm and energy. Finally, the Diocese has approved our moving into the construction phase for the rectory project. The prep work has already been done, and the actual building phase should begin in the next few weeks. This weekend, we are making a final push to reach our campaign goal. If you have not done so, we need your help and participation. The goal is doable and, together we can accomplish much. Assuming our fundraising keeps apace our hope is to begin the main-campus project next summer. Between now and then we will be doing some evaluations and, where necessary, value engineering to help us stay on track with the plan.
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