From the Pastor - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 30, 2023

Today’s readings take us back to some basics of stewardship living and demonstrate the genius of this way of life.


Our First Reading, from 2 Kings, shows us the necessity and power of hospitality. It recounts the story of a woman who showed loving hospitality to a visitor, inviting him to dinner with her family and arranging a room for him in their home so that he would have a comfortable place to stay during his travels through her town. She reached out to the man in a simple and practical manner to make him feel welcome and was rewarded in an extraordinary way.


In our Second Reading, from the Letter to the Romans, St. Paul reminds us of the power of our Baptism and how this sacrament makes us disciples. What does that mean for us here and now? St. Paul tells us very clearly: “You must think of yourselves as dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.” We must live for Christ! Nothing less will do.


Our Lord proclaims this same instruction in a rather shocking way in our Gospel passage from Matthew: “Whoever finds his life [by living for oneself] will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” But how do we lose our life? Precisely through loving actions towards others, loving them as if they were Christ. “Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple… he will surely not lose his reward.”


The simple brilliance of stewardship living — only our infinitely creative and compassionate God could conceive it! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023.


Pastoral Pondering

Continuing our discussion of Eucharistic Revival, I wanted to consider the importance of Eucharistic Adoration this week since it plays such a pivotal role in the life of St. Mark Parish.


In addressing adoration, the Catechism quotes Pope St. John Paul II: "The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease." (CCC, 1380)

Our primary contact with Our Lord is situated in the celebration of Holy Mass, especially when we receive Him in Holy Communion. Nonetheless, deepening our relationship with the Lord requires spending time with Him. Adoration is that place for growing in relationship with the Lord.


The late Jesuit priest and theologian, Father John Hardon, describes it this way:

“It is impossible in human terms to exaggerate the importance of being in a church or chapel before the Blessed Sacrament as often and for as long as our daily duties … allow. I very seldom repeat what I say. Let me repeat this sentence. It is impossible in human language to exaggerate the importance of being in a chapel or church before the Blessed Sacrament as often and for as long as our … duties allow. That sentence is the talisman of the highest sanctity.”


We are blessed at St. Mark with our Adoration Chapel. However, even with a parish of our size, it is at times difficult to cover all of the hours and provide “backup” adorers when needed. Many, if not most, of us have busy, hectic lives, however, most of us can also find some time in our busy schedules for quiet prayer. In fact, quiet prayer before the Lord is essential if we want to navigate the world without being conquered by it.


The Catechism says it this way:

“The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.” (CCC, 1380, quoting St. John Paul II’s letter Dominicae Cenae, The Mystery and Worship of the Eucharist)


Signing up for some time for the Lord is easy and can be accessed via the St. Mark website at this address: https://www.stmarknc.org/adoration



Come, let us adore Him!

From the Pastor

By John Putnam June 27, 2025
During June, we have celebrated key moments in the life of the Church — Pentecost, the Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi — culminating today with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Though very different men, they are united in faith, mission, and martyrdom, and the Church has honored them together since the third century. St. Peter, the first Pope, was chosen by Christ as the rock on which the Church would be built. The Catechism tells us that because of the faith he professed, Peter remains the “unshakeable rock of the Church.” Despite his human weaknesses, Peter's loyalty, repentance, and leadership make him a powerful model of stewardship. St. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became one of the Church’s greatest evangelists. In today’s second reading, Paul reflects on his mission, saying, “I have finished the race… the crown of righteousness awaits me.” The Greek word he used for “crown” — stephanos — refers to a victor’s crown, not a royal one, showing his view of faith as a race well-run for the sake of Christ. Though they were martyred separately, tradition holds that Peter and Paul were in Rome at the same time, and their shared witness and sacrifice tie them closely together in Church history. They embody two vital aspects of stewardship — Peter in his faith and leadership, and Paul in his zeal and wisdom. As stewards, we are called to follow their example — to build the Church through our commitment, to overcome our failures through God’s mercy, and to proclaim the Gospel with courage. Like Peter and Paul, we are invited to give all we have for the sake of Christ and His Church. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering  This Solemnity marks the beginning of summer vacation in Rome. The Holy Father will be traveling to Castelgandolfo for some time away from the heat of Rome. For the rest of us, the weeks of summer are in full swing, and as we move into July this week, I hope that families have an opportunity to spend some time in rest and relaxation. Spending time with family, friends, and the Lord, are among the best things that we can do with our “down time”. Leisure is essential to a well-lived life, but it has to be understood properly in the context of the Christian life. Anthony Esolen’s Leisure: The Basis of Culture is a contemporary reflection and expansion on the classic work of the same name by Josef Pieper. Esolen argues that modern society has lost its understanding of true leisure, mistaking it for mere idleness or entertainment. In contrast, he defines leisure as a contemplative, receptive state that allows individuals to encounter truth, beauty, and God. True leisure, according to the author, distinguishes leisure from passive consumption or busyness. True leisure is rooted in wonder, worship and reflection – activities that are ends in themselves, not means to productivity. He critiques how modern life has turned all human activity into something utilitarian. Education, art and even religion are often reduced to tools for social mobility or economic growth, rather than pursued for their intrinsic value. Esolen emphasizes that leisure finds its highest expression in worship and liturgy. Time spent in contemplation of the divine is the deepest form of leisure, because it directs the soul toward eternal realities. He draws on classical and Christian sources to affirm that man is not simply a worker or consumer but is made for contemplation and communion. In the end, he calls for a return to genuine leisure as the only path to restoring culture, education, and the dignity of the human spirit. The author argues that without true leisure, civilization cannot thrive, because it loses contact with what is eternal and meaningful. Leisure, rightly understood, is not a break from life – it is at the heart of what makes life worth living.
By John Putnam June 20, 2025
Today we observe the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This beautiful feast celebrates the gift of the Eucharist, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches is the source and summit of our Christian faith. “For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself” (CCC paragraph 1324). The very word, Eucharist, means “thanksgiving” or “gratitude” and so this feast is especially meaningful to all of us who are striving to live as grateful stewards of all God’s blessings to us. Surely the Eucharist is the greatest of all blessings because it is not only from God, the Eucharist, is God — the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us of the depths of love our Lord has shown us in the gift of the Eucharist, recalling Christ’s words at the very first Eucharistic celebration. “The Lord Jesus… took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you.’” In that moment, and at every celebration of the Mass thereafter, Jesus gives us His very self in an act of complete humility and perfect love. How can we possibly show our gratitude for such a sublime gift? We can receive the gift of the Eucharist with the greatest possible reverence and love. And, following our Lord’s example, we can give ourselves generously to others in the week ahead. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ naturally follows the Solemnities of Pentecost and the Holy Trinity. Each of those celebrations highlight a profound experience of God. The Eucharist invites us into the very life of God which is the Holy Trinity. We are nourished by the Lord to sustain us as we strive to run the race and fight the good fight. The Church in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II describes the Eucharist as the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows… At times perhaps we allow our assistance and participation at Mass and reception of the Eucharist to become habitual or common place. Such an attitude should always be avoided since it diminishes the centrality that the Eucharist is to play in each of our lives. Nonetheless, it is a common pitfall that many of us fall into. There are a number of ways in which we can help ourselves to avoid falling into that trap. First and foremost, we should prepare ourselves for participation at Mass. This can be accomplished in a number of ways but especially by taking some time to read and reflect on the Scriptures before we arrive at the church. Arriving early at Mass so that we can actually spend some time in prayer, quieting our hearts and minds before the celebration begins is also helpful. Outside of Mass, we can make spiritual Communions and make visits to the Blessed Sacrament. These moments of grace can also inspire us to live more authentically Christian lives by our concern for and service to the poor. Serving our neighbor and loving the neighbor as we love ourselves is a true expression of our love for God.  I also want to offer a word of thanks to all those who assisted with the diaconate and priestly ordinations the previous two Saturdays. A great deal of work goes into these events, and the St. Mark staff and volunteers always “step up” to do their part. We as a parish are honored to host these important Diocesan events and appreciate all of those who contribute to their success.
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