From the Pastor - Baptism of the Lord

January 10, 2025

As we celebrate this feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we can study His actions at the Jordan River as a powerful example of servant leadership. We see in Jesus a type of leadership that is characterized by humility and leading by example.


Certainly, the sinless Savior did not need a baptism of repentance! But Jesus humbly made Himself one with his people to draw us to Him and create a relationship with us so that we would be open to His teachings and influence.


As a servant leader, we also see that Jesus leads by example. He doesn’t just tell the people they need to be baptized. He shows them how and does it Himself to teach them. To lead like Jesus, we, too, must “walk the walk” and not just “talk the talk.” If we want those who we lead to be generous and hard-working, then we must show them how to do this by demonstrating generosity and hard work ourselves.


Immediately after His baptism, we learn of the powerful affirmation of the Father who opens the heavens, sends the Holy Spirit upon Jesus in bodily form, and says audibly, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.” Let us be filled with gratitude for our amazing God and be reminded that when we are grateful followers of Jesus and servant-leaders in imitation of Him, the Father will be well-pleased with us, too.


Let us be filled with gratitude for our amazing God and be reminded that when we are grateful followers of Jesus and servant-leaders in imitation of Him, the Father will be well-pleased with us, too.

© Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024


Pastoral Pondering

As we move into the new calendar year, many people make resolutions. This is not a bad thing and can actually be helpful in our spiritual lives if we take the time to make some commitments in this regard.


Recently, I have been reading The Mystery of Incomprehensible Love: The Eucharistic Message of Mother Mecthilde of the Blessed Sacrament. Mother Mecthilde, a seventh century Benedictine religious sister in Paris, was a passionate supporter of frequent Communion and deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Her love for the Eucharist and her faith in the grace and blessings that we find there are beautifully inspiring.

The Church reminds us that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith; yet we still often become indifferent to our reception of Holy Communion or assistance at Holy Mass. We are blessed at St. Mark with Perpetual Adoration. Nonetheless, it is still difficult at times to cover all of the hours; thus, ensuring Our Lord is never left without an adorer.



My desire will always be that St. Mark is a parish centered on dedication to the Eucharist and the worthy celebration of Holy Mass. That has to be our primary mission and goal and the impetus that inspires everything else that we do. Let our resolution be to recommit ourselves wholeheartedly to this august Mystery and glorify our Eucharistic Lord in all that we seek to do.

 

 

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Divine Mercy Sunday

By John Putnam • April 10, 2026
The great feast of Easter has begun, Christian stewards. Let us rejoice and be glad! Just as we embraced the discipline and fasting of Lent, let us fully embrace the joy and feasting that the next 50 days offer. We are called to be good stewards of the Easter season. Our first reading, from Acts, gives instruction on how to do this. Here, St. Peter says that our Lord, “commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead… that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” How do we ordinary people preach and testify to all God has done? We do so through how we live our ordinary lives — through the intentional use of our time, talent, and treasure for the kingdom of God. Putting God and others ahead of ourselves in every aspect of our lives is the most eloquent preaching we can do. Boldly and joyfully embracing a stewardship way of life is our most powerful testimony. As Christian stewards, we are the modern-day witnesses of an incredible miracle prompted by unfathomable love — the death and Resurrection of our Savior for us. Let us rejoice and be glad and let’s make sure our lives are a testimony to this amazing grace! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026  HAPPY EASTER!

From the Pastor - Easter Sunday

By John Putnam • April 3, 2026
The great feast of Easter has begun, Christian stewards. Let us rejoice and be glad! Just as we embraced the discipline and fasting of Lent, let us fully embrace the joy and feasting that the next 50 days offer. We are called to be good stewards of the Easter season. Our first reading, from Acts, gives instruction on how to do this. Here, St. Peter says that our Lord, “commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead… that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” How do we ordinary people preach and testify to all God has done? We do so through how we live our ordinary lives — through the intentional use of our time, talent, and treasure for the kingdom of God. Putting God and others ahead of ourselves in every aspect of our lives is the most eloquent preaching we can do. Boldly and joyfully embracing a stewardship way of life is our most powerful testimony. As Christian stewards, we are the modern-day witnesses of an incredible miracle prompted by unfathomable love — the death and Resurrection of our Savior for us. Let us rejoice and be glad and let’s make sure our lives are a testimony to this amazing grace! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026  HAPPY EASTER!