From the Pastor - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 23, 2024

Our readings offer us examples of how we should be living, and they present us with an opportunity to make a radical change in our lives.

 

In our first reading, Joshua tells the leaders of the Israelites to decide as to who they shall serve in this life. As he presents them with this choice, he boldly states, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Who or what does your household serve? Whether you are a household of one or twelve, now is the time to decide, ‘will we serve the Lord?’

 

We are constantly bombarded with endless distractions around us. It can be very easy to serve other ‘gods’ in our lives. For instance, putting technology (phone, internet, TV), kids’ extracurricular activities, our jobs, or our social lives before the Lord. We also might be putting these things above our loved ones, and if we are doing that, then we are putting them above our relationship with God.

 

With this in mind, we must strive each day to intentionally live as disciples of Christ. It starts with commitment — incorporating personal daily prayer and increasing that prayer week by week, incorporating prayer into our marriages and families, frequenting the sacraments, and serving others. Through this time with the Lord and service to those around us, He will reveal to us where to go next.

 

Reflect on how you may not be putting God first in your life and decide to respond like the Israelites, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord for the service of other gods… Therefore, we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024

 

Pastoral Pondering

This Friday begins our annual Eucharistic Congress. This year’s congress has significance on a number of levels. First, we are in the follow-up phase of the National Eucharistic Revival. While we have been “ahead of the game” in the Diocese of Charlotte for over two decades, recommitting ourselves to a deep love and devotion for the Eucharist should always be important to us. Secondly, this is the first Congress for our Bishop, Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv. This is an opportunity for our Diocesan Church to show the Bishop who we are and how we live our faith.



This year our Friday program is especially organized for Youth and Young Adults, but that there will still be something for everyone. Sarah Kroger, who came to the parish earlier this year, will have a kick-off concert at 5:15. On Saturday our Eucharistic procession through the streets of Charlotte begins our day followed by speakers, opportunities for prayer and confession and culminating in Holy Mass with Bishop Martin at 4:15 p.m. This is our annual Catholic Homecoming, and I hope you will plan to join us at the Charlotte Convention Center. For detailed information about the event please visit www.goeucharist.com.

 

As this is a presidential election year, I have had a few questions about what our Catholic obligations are in terms of participating in political life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes:

 

Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one’s country…[and further on]… Christians] reside in their own nations, but as resident aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners.…They obey the established laws, and their way of life surpasses the laws.…So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it. (#2240)


In other words, we have an obligation to be politically active. We are obligated to exercise the rights so as to form a more Christ-centered society. Christians are not to “sit on the sidelines”. We are to be engaged and involved. In Fratelli Tutti (no. 66), Poper Francis notes:

 

Let us look to the example of the Good Samaritan. Jesus’ parable summons us to rediscover our vocation as citizens of our respective nations and of the entire world, builders of a new social bond. This summons is ever new, yet it is grounded in a fundamental law of our being: we are called to direct society to the pursuit of the common good and, with this purpose in mind, to persevere in consolidating its political and social order, its fabric of relations, its human goals.

 

We do all of this by, as St. Paul says, putting on the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) and approaching political concerns and issues with our faith guiding us and always seeing these matters through the lens of human dignity. Of course, we cannot exercise this important obligation if we are not registered to vote and engaged in public dialogue. Early voting in North Carolina begins on Thursday, October 17, 2024 and ends on Saturday, November 2, 2024. If you are not registered, you can find the application via the NCDMV website: https://payments.ncdot.gov/. I have asked the Knights of Columbus to assist with voter registration as a part of our efforts to support patriotism and Catholic action in the public square. Patriotism is one of their historic values, and I am appreciative of their willingness to support the effort.

 


 

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • October 10, 2025
Gratitude is the key to a stewardship way of life. Today’s readings demonstrate the power and vital importance of gratitude in the life of the Christian disciple, for gratitude leads us to worship God who offers us salvation. We see the power of gratitude on display in the Gospel passage from Luke after Jesus heals ten lepers. “And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned.” Only one of the ten recognized the tremendous blessing he had received from Jesus and returned to thank him. While it’s easy to feel indignant at the failure of the nine others to return and thank Jesus, how often do we fail to recognize the blessings, answered prayers, and healings (both physical and spiritual) that the Lord showers upon us, day and night? The truth is that our very lives and every breath we take are His gift to us. But we can get so caught up in the stresses and distractions of daily life that we lose touch with this truth. The Samaritan reacts to his gift of healing with the proper response to our loving God. Recognizing what he had just received from the Lord, he “returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.” He was grateful for what God had done for him, and this gratitude led to worship. And because of this response, Jesus offered him a far more precious gift than physical healing; He offered him the gift of salvation. “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” Too often, we hear the phrase, “Count your blessings,” and write it off as nothing more than a trite saying. Today’s Gospel shows us otherwise. Gratitude is powerful. It deepens our faith in God and leads us to fitting worship of Him. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering Over the past few weeks, St. Mark has had funeral after funeral. As we approach November, I thought it might be helpful to discuss the Catholic approach to death and dying. Rather than seeing the end of the earthly journey as something to be dreaded and avoided, Catholics approach death and dying with a blend of spiritual practices, rituals, and theological beliefs rooted in their faith, emphasizing hope in eternal life, God’s mercy, and the communal support of the Church. Here’s a concise overview: 1. Theological Perspective on Death Eternal Life and Resurrection : Catholics believe death is not the end but a transition to eternal life. Based on Christ’s resurrection, they hold that the soul separates from the body at death, awaiting the final resurrection when body and soul are reunited (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 989–1001). Judgment and Afterlife: After death, each person faces a particular judgment, determining their eternal destiny: heaven (often via purification in purgatory), or hell if unrepentant of serious sin (CCC 1021–1022). This belief shapes their approach to preparing for death. 2. Preparation for Death Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick: This sacrament is administered to those seriously ill or near death, offering spiritual healing, forgiveness of sins, and strength. It’s often paired with Confession and Holy Communion (called Viaticum, meaning “food for the journey”) to prepare the soul for eternity (CCC 1499–1532). Prayer and Repentance: Catholics are encouraged to reflect on their lives, seek forgiveness through Confession, and entrust themselves to God’s mercy. Prayers like the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet are common for the dying and their families. Spiritual Support: Priests, family, or Catholic communities often pray with the dying, offering comfort through scripture, hymns, or the Commendation of the Dying, a ritual to entrust the soul to God. 3. Rituals and Practices After Death Funeral Rites: The Catholic funeral consists of three parts: Vigil (Wake) : A time for family and friends to gather, pray (often the Rosary), and share memories. Funeral Mass/Mass of Christian Burial : A liturgy celebrating Christ’s resurrection and praying for the deceased’s soul, often emphasizing hope over despair. Committal : The burial or cremation (permitted since 1963, though the Church prefers burial) with prayers entrusting the deceased to God. Masses for the Dead: Catholics offer Masses for the deceased, especially for souls in purgatory, believing these prayers aid their purification (CCC 1032). 4. Grieving and Community Support Hope in Resurrection: Grief is acknowledged, but Catholics are encouraged to focus on the hope of eternal life, which tempers sorrow (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14). Community Role: The Church community supports the bereaved through prayers, Masses, and practical help, reinforcing that death is a shared journey within the “communion of saints.” Memento Mori: The tradition of “remembering death” encourages Catholics to live virtuously, keeping eternity in mind, often through practices like praying for the dead on All Souls’ Day (November 2). 5. Cultural Variations While core beliefs and rituals are universal, cultural practices vary. For example: In Hispanic Catholic communities , *Día de los Muertos* blends indigenous traditions with Catholic prayers, honoring the dead with altars and Masses. In some European traditions , month’s mind Masses (a Mass one month after death) are common to continue praying for the deceased. 6. Practical Aspects End-of-Life Decisions: The Church teaches that life must be respected, but extraordinary medical measures aren’t required if they’re burdensome or futile (CCC 2278). Palliative care is supported to alleviate suffering while respecting natural death. Advance Directives: Catholics are encouraged to prepare advance directives aligned with Church teaching, ensuring their care respects their faith. 7. Comfort in Faith Catholics draw comfort from scriptures like John 11:25 (“I am the resurrection and the life”) and prayers like *Eternal Rest* (“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord”). The belief in purgatory offers hope that loved ones can be aided through prayer, even after death, and reminds us that death never has the last word.

From the Pastor - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • October 3, 2025
Our readings today show us that living a stewardship way of life, that is, a life focused on serving God and His Kingdom, is not easy. They also show us that our lives belong to God, not to us, and that God will indeed bring about the fulfillment of His kingdom., We just need to have faith that He can do it and commit to our small part in His grand design. This is both our privilege and responsibility as Christian stewards. Jesus makes this privilege and responsibility clear in today’s Gospel passage from Luke. When the apostles as the Lord to increase their faith, He tells them that even a mustard-seed sized faith is all that is needed to move mountains (because it is God who does the heavy lifting). We need to only take the tiniest step forward, and He will do the rest. But living our lives in His service is also very much our responsibility, as Jesus explains through the parable of the unprofitable servant later in the passage. Our Lord describes a scene in which a servant has just come from tending to the master’s affairs and asks whether it would be reasonable for the master to begin waiting on the servant. Of course, it would not be reasonable! The servant would be expected to continue to serve his master until he has completed the work the master has given him that day. Jesus says that we should have the same attitude before God. The time, talents, and treasure entrusted to us are all God’s. Our very lives belong to Him. Whatever we do on God’s behalf with our lives and our gifts is simply our God-given responsibility. The stewardship way of life makes the privilege and responsibility of serving Christ and His kingdom a reality. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering  As we move into autumnal colors, with shorter days and cooling weather, the late weeks of the liturgical year always provide us with an opportunity to reflect on faith and life. It is also that time of the calendar year when we start thinking about those who are less fortunate among us. In the coming weeks, we have a number of efforts to assist the least of our brethren with life’s basic needs including the coat drive, thanksgiving food drive and the Christmas giving effort (formerly known as the Angel Tree ©). There are no shortage of demands placed on all of us these days, but the spiritual and corporal works of mercy remain the bedrock of our Catholic lives. Thank you in advance for responding with a generous heart.