From the Pastor – Corpus Christi

June 23, 2019

From the Pastor – Corpus Christi

Today, we observe the Solemnity of the 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 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, it 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.

Pastoral Pondering

Summer is upon us. Exams are over, and families, hopefully, are taking some time to relax and recreate. Two weeks ago the Diocese sponsored Quo Vadis Days at Belmont Abbey to help you men develop the ability to discern God’s call in their lives, whether that be marriage, as is the case for most of them, or a call to priesthood. This coming week Duc in Altum provides a similar opportunity for young ladies. Please keep all of our young people in your prayers. We live in a challenging world. Hearing the voice of God can be very difficult. Looking for opportunities to stop and listen is essential for hearing God’s voice.

Over the last several weeks, I have had parishioners raise concerns about the noise level in church or the distractions during Mass. In light of this I thought it would be a good opportunity to offer a few suggestions. First of all, as we’ve made clear many times in the pages of this bulletin, St. Mark loves children, and I believe children should be in church so that they can learn the importance of the Mass and how to worship God. At the same time, we have to be sensitive to their ages and temperaments and utilize the tools available to assist them as they mature. On Sundays, Son Day Fun Day is a great opportunity to provide your children (below first Communion age) with religious education, fun and fellowship. It provides them with a parish community at their level where they can learn about the faith and grow in understanding. The nursery is available for the youngest among us that find it difficult to remain in church.

For parents who prefer to have the little ones with them at Mass, good for you! I know how very challenging it can be at times. I would ask that you be mindful of those around you if your child is overly talkative or fussy during the Mass. Everyone has a need to hear and participate in the saving Sacrifice, and this can become difficult if a child is disruptive. It is perfectly acceptable to get up and walk with a little one to calm them down or even walk outside or into the narthex for a few moments. If the child is old enough these times also provide opportunities for instruction. Children need to be taught how to behave in certain situations and settings. Every moment can be a teachable moment.

Finally, also be conscious, especially after Mass has ended, that many folks make an act of thanksgiving after Mass by spending some time in quiet prayer. It is difficult to do this if there are groups having conversations in the church. The narthex and the plaza (in good weather) provide great spaces for these conversations to take place. Please, therefore, keep the nave of the church for prayer and be respectful of those praying around you.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - First Sunday of Advent

By John Putnam • December 2, 2025
Today we begin the beautiful season of Advent — a season of preparation. For what are we preparing? The celebration of the birth of our Savior, and the anticipation of His second coming. These are weighty tasks with eternal consequences. So, let us as Christian stewards make the words of the Prophet Isaiah our motto for the season: “Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways and we may walk in his paths.” In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it seems everywhere we turn we are pushed to spend more, do more, entertain more, and generally rush around at a frantic pace — all to create a “perfect” Christmas day. In contrast to this worldly pressure, the Church’s guidance to use these weeks as a time to focus on our spiritual lives can indeed seem like a mountain climb. But the intentional and wise use of the gift of time is exactly what the Christian steward is called to do, and with even greater intensity during Advent. How can we use our time to prepare for a holy celebration of Jesus’ birth on Dec. 25 and for his second coming at a date we do not know? We can push back against the world’s pressure to have the “perfect Christmas.” Scale back on the material kind of gift-giving, the complicated menus, the unessential trappings of the season so that we have more time for the spiritual preparations: Confession, weekday Mass, adoration, family prayer time, lighting the Advent wreath, acts of kindness. It may feel like a mountain climb, but in the end, we will be prepared to celebrate a truly meaningful Christmas, we will have become more like our Savior, and we will be ready for Him to come again. Let’s go climb the Lord’s mountain! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 From the Pastor Advent brings a time of new beginning. A new liturgical year is upon us, but it is also a time to prepare our hearts for something – for the coming of the Lord. The first weeks of Advent focus on the Lord’s coming at the end of time, and the latter weeks of Advent focus on preparing to celebrate His coming at the Nativity. Both, however, are interconnected. The first coming of the Lord facilitates His coming into our hearts, which, in the end, facilitates His second coming to judge the living and the dead. The “in between” of these two comings is where time and eternity come together. We are called to live each day in expectation of His coming. We are called to hope for His coming and to expect it even when it seems long delayed. It is in this expectation that we must learn to live our lives. Daily life is messy and unpredictable. We must deal with disappointments, sickness and loss. Yet, we do so as people of hope who know that in these crosses, there lies ultimate joy because of the love of the Father who sent his Son to love us to the end. As we begin a new journey in a new liturgical year, let us do so with joyful expectation. Knowing that the end of the journey, if we are faithful, is paradise.

From the Pastor - Solemnity of Christ the King

By John Putnam • November 21, 2025
On this Feast of Christ the King, our readings show us that we serve the greatest of Kings, who is at the same time the humblest of Kings. Christ is the perfect model of servant leadership. And what an indescribable privilege that He has called us to be servant leaders — stewards in the work of advancing His Kingdom. In our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Paul describes the great power and dignity that characterize Christ the King. “All things were created through him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” It makes you want to stand up and cheer. That’s our King! Yet, what a contrasting description of the same King we find in our Gospel passage, from Luke. Now we see our King nailed to the Cross. Everyone from rulers to soldiers, to the criminals on either side of Christ is mocking, sneering, and reviling him. They tauntingly urge him to prove His kingship by coming down from the Cross to end his suffering with a great show of power. “if you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” But He does not. Amazingly, it is in this moment of seeming-weakness and humiliation, when all appears hopeless and lost, that the full breadth of his greatness as king is displayed. Though all things were created through and for Him — Christ chooses to live entirely for others, for us! What does this mean for us as his followers and stewards of His kingdom? It is precisely that our lives are not about us. They are about Christ and others. And we will advance his kingdom to the extent that we embrace this mindset: my life is not about me; it is about serving the King of kings. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025