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From the Pastor - Easter Sunday

April 1, 2021

In addition to celebrating all Christ did for us this Easter season, we also are reminded of how His sacrifice impacts our lives.

 

Today’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus should be the center of our lives. This passage begins with two disciples realizing Jesus had just appeared to them.

 

We can learn a valuable lesson from these disciples. To recognize Jesus’ appearances in our lives, we need to know Him. And the best way to know the Lord is to spend time with Him. It can start with just 10 minutes of quiet prayer a day and increasing that each week. We might begin by reading Scripture, books on the lives of the Saints, or even a decade of the Rosary. Yet the goal should be to carve out time each day, in a quiet space, for just you and the Lord. As the disciples mentioned, they recognized it was Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We, too, can better know the Lord through the sacraments, most especially the Holy Mass. The Eucharist is Jesus Himself — Body, Blood Soul, and Divinity. What better way to grow in intimacy with Christ than to receive Him frequently or to go talk to Him in front of the Blessed Sacrament? As we make Jesus the center of our lives through prayer and the sacraments, we will be able to recognize Him in day-to-day moments.

 

As we are still in the midst of this Easter season, take time to think about what Christ did for us and the changes we should make in our daily lives to help us grow closer to Him. © Catholic Stewardship Conference 2021

 

Pastoral Pondering – I have always been especially fond of Easter and its various celebrations and practices. When I was in seminary, one of the families with whom I became friendly were of Polish descent. Cheese would be made along with various meats and side dishes, and the whole family would gather after Easter Mass. After the meal, it was time for the children to hunt Easter eggs and the adults to enjoy the melee. There were a large number of grandchildren in the family, so to say that it was a lively gathering would be an understatement.

 

For me as well, Easter is a time when I especially think of my parents. Not a year goes by that I do not miss them and think about the Easters over the years. I’m thankful for the many happy memories that I hold dear. Easter is also a time when I think about the significance of the Resurrection and what that singular event has done for all of us. It is because Jesus rose from the dead that we will meet again those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. This is a great consolation to me. I am mindful of the importance of praying for the repose of my parents’ souls along with the souls of all of my deceased friends and family members.

 

Enjoy this Easter. Return to traditions that you have cherished for years or make some new traditions with your loved ones. And don’t forget to pray for those who await the promised resurrection at the end of days.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • February 10, 2025
Our readings today remind us of the great privilege we have in calling ourselves both children and disciples of the Most High God.  The First Reading from Isaiah describes a vision of the prophet in which angels surround the Lord proclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” Our God invites us to such deep intimacy and friendship with Him that sometimes we can forget just how majestic and unspeakably holy He truly is. In the Gospel passage, from Luke, Jesus instructs Simon to lower his nets for a catch despite an unsuccessful night of fishing. Peter is skeptical but obeys and is amazed at the catch of fish that he makes. He kneels down before Jesus in astonishment. This sense of awe and reverence before God should motivate us to deepen our stewardship way of life. As we contemplate the holiness of God, we come to a heightened awareness of what a privilege it is that He has chosen to include us in His work of spreading the Gospel to others through the grateful sharing of the gifts He has given us. Aware of this privilege, we will then make the words of Isaiah our own: “Here I am Lord, send me!” © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025

From the Pastor - Presentation of the Lord

By John Putnam • January 31, 2025
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, when Mary and Joseph brought their infant Son to the Temple in obedience to the laws of their Jewish faith. This is a beautiful, and in many ways, mysterious feast — and one that is filled with lessons for a stewardship way of life. Our Gospel passage from Luke, recounting the details of the Presentation, teaches us a stewardship lesson through the example of St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother, the “Holy Parents.” Even knowing their Son was God, they still carefully observed the faith practices of their day bringing him to the temple “to present Him to the Lord just as it is written in the law of the Lord.” Later in the passage we read that, “When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to their own town of Nazareth.” The Holy Parents were good stewards of their child, teaching Him to live in obedience to the practices of their faith from his infancy and throughout His “growing up” years. Those of us entrusted with the care of children, whether our own children, godchildren, nieces, and nephews, grandchildren, or students, have a vital role to play in the faith formation of these young ones. We, like the Holy Parents, must steward these children well, forming them in the faith by both instruction and example throughout their lives. What a privilege and high calling we have as Christian stewards. Let us take these stewardship lessons to heart and present our gifts and our young ones joyfully to the Lord. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024 Pastoral Pondering  I to offer a special thanks to all those who helped us celebrate Catholic Schools Week. Catholic education is central to the evangelizing mission of the Church as a means of assisting parents to fulfill their duty as the primary educators of their children. Today, this education takes place through our Catholic schools, our homeschools, and our private schools who maintain a Catholic ethos. None of the Church’s efforts in this arena, however, will be effective without the cooperation and support of parents. Instilling the faith and virtue in the lives of our children is essential to creating a truly Catholic culture in the parish that has the capacity to transform the local community. We are all called to be Missionary disciples who have hearts for evangelization. If we believe in Jesus, if we are worthy to claim His name, then we must learn to be instruments of His grace in the world. This is an especially important role of the lay faithful. The laity have the opportunity to reach parts of the world and the culture that priests and religious cannot. This is the evangelization that can take place in the workplace, in the grocery store, in the mothers’ groups, over even over morning coffee in the kitchen or coffee shop. The role of the parish clergy, religious and staff is to empower and form the laity to embrace this role. Over the last few years, St. Mark has partnered with Evangelical Catholic, Amazing Parish, and other apostolates to assist with these efforts. Our various evangelization programs contribute to this as well. I do hope that during the course of the year, you look for and take advantage of opportunities to take your rightful place as a missionary disciple.
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