From the Pastor – 3rd Sunday of Lent

March 5, 2018

From the Pastor – 3 rd Sunday of Lent

Our First Reading from the Old Testament Book of Exodus presents the Ten Commandments, as God gave them to Moses. The Commandments also appear in the Book of Deuteronomy (Chapter 5; verses 6-21). The Commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament by Jesus Himself and especially in the Gospel of John.

The Ten Commandments are also called the “Decalogue,” which means literally “ten words.” According to the  Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2056) “God revealed these ‘ten words’ to His people on the holy mountain. They were written ‘with the finger of God.’ They are pre-eminently the words of God”.

At another point the Catechism fortifies the Commandments by saying, “…from generation to generation…the ‘deposit’ of moral teaching has been handed on. Along with the Creed and the Our Father, the basis for catechesis has traditionally been the Decalogue, which sets out the principles of moral life valid for all people.” (#2033)

The Commandments are considered essential for spiritual good health and growth. They serve as the basis for Catholic social justice. A review of the Ten Commandments is a common type of examination of conscience before receiving the sacrament of Penance.

As Lent draws to a close, it is important for each of us to go to confession and receive the sacrament of Penance. As part of that we may wish to look at our lives and how we live them through the holy words of the Ten Commandments.

Pastoral Pondering

In continuing our discussion of reverence, I think one of the first things that we need to consider is “Who is God?”. The following reflection by Father Brian Doerr does a good job of laying out the issue.

Who is the real God? For so many years, God has been portrayed to us as a mild individual, approachable, nothing to fear. A recent best seller portrayed the Trinity as an African-American woman (the Father), an Asian Woman (the Holy Spirit) and a hippy-like drop out (the Son) that hung out in an old dilapidated shack. Rather than man’s inspired realization that he is made in the image and likeness of God, modern man has made God in his own image and likeness. We have it backward!

The Scriptures that teach us that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”  (Proverbs 9:10) are completely forgotten. Think of your own father; chances are, although you love him profoundly, you also had a reverential fear of him. Otherwise he would not inspire you, nor would you respect him. The same is true for any good mentor: if he cannot generate a reverential fear or respect, he is completely ineffective. God is utter incomprehensibility and all-powerful. He is infinitely “Other”. This is not to say a man must dread his God, but he is deluding himself if he considers his God to be harmless and irrelevant.

[In the book of Exodus] the people are alerted to the presence of God via the trumpet: “the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder…” as God approached. Trumpets sound in Sacred Scripture for two prominent reasons: to call men to battle and to call men to prayer. Ironic the two would be combined under the same sign. Or perhaps it is not ironic; perhaps the blare of the trumpet calls us to the battle of prayer as warriors for God. Men will not rally and fight for a leader they do not respect. Although it is not politically correct to say, the familiar words of Psalm 68 give a perfect description of God’s triumph: “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked [the Evil One] perish before God!” (Father Brian Doerr, Exodus: Ninety Days , South Bend, Those Catholic Men, 2016, p. 168.)

Before we can understand the importance of reverence, we have to understand who God is. We must always remember that He is God, and we are not no matter how often we try to convince ourselves otherwise.

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.