From the Pastor – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 12, 2020

From the Pastor – 15 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, our Lord shares the Parable of the Sower who scatters seed on many different kinds of land. This is a wonderful analogy for the stewardship way of life, demonstrating the slow and steady, yet powerful effect this lifestyle will have on those who fully embrace it.

In this parable, some of the seeds land on a path where birds carry them off before they can begin to take root. Other seeds land on rocky ground with little soil. As soon as things begin to heat up, they get scorched and die. Then there are seeds that land on soil cluttered with thorns which choke the seeds just as they are beginning to grow strong.

Finally, there are seeds that land on deep and healthy soil. These seeds produce abundant fruit. 

This is where the stewardship way of life comes in. When we give the best of our time, talent and treasure to serve God and others, we create lives filled with that rare “good soil” needed for the Kingdom of God to thrive. 

How does this happen? Stewardship living removes the “rocks” of mistrust from our lives as we develop an unshakable faith that God will always provide for our needs. It clears away the “thorns” of worldly ambition that make us self-centered, fill us with needless anxiety and stifle our focus on God. Stewardship living requires a deep reliance on the Word of God and the sacraments which continuously nourish and fertilize the soil of our lives.

Let us deepen our commitment to this way of life, allowing the Sower to do His work in us, slowly and steadily. The Master Gardner will surely produce miraculous fruits through us. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2020

Pastoral Pondering or Masks, Tyranny and Dark Chocolate

At this point we are already at the second Sunday in July. Mid-summer (June 24 th this year) is almost upon us. Still for me, it doesn’t really seem like summer. Except for the warm temperatures, things are pretty much the same as they were a month ago. More people are wearing masks, because that is what the Governor said people should do and many folks are still afraid to wander too far from their homes.

With my background in the natural sciences, I always want to see concrete data that supports decision making and recommendations. However, because this COVID was previously unknown the data has been scarce, and the recommendations have been all over the place. It’s hard then to know what one should do or, as a pastor, to know what to do for the whole. We are observing the Diocesan recommendations based on the CDC recommendations and the Governor’s executive orders, but I am more and more becoming skeptical of the data upon which these things are based.

Swiss Policy Research (swprs.org) has some interesting facts about COVID-19 that are worth considering. For example, According to the latest immunological and serological studies, the overall lethality of Covid-19 (IFR) is  about 0.1%  and thus in the range of a strong seasonal  influenza  (flu). The risk of death from a car ride is greater than the threat posed by the virus. And the list goes on. I share this because I do not believe we can always trust the information that we have been given, especially when many are still being told (outside of NC thankfully) that it’s not safe to go to church but completely safe to attend a protest or a Pride parade.

We Christians should never allow ourselves to become lemmings. We need to push back when there are contradictions in what we are hearing. Prudence and wisdom are always called for, but when the authorities lose credibility because of their own words and actions, it’s incumbent up each of us to start asking “what gives?” I’m not saying we shouldn’t wash our hands and take precautions, but we do need to start getting back to normal and opposing the tyranny of popular opinion and political narrative. Rather than turning to dark chocolate (my preference) and letting anxiety and fear rule our lives, we need to once again learn to live in the freedom that belongs to us in Christ Jesus (cf. Galatians 5:1).

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.