From the Pastor - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 18, 2024

Our Gospel today conveys how we are called to imitate Jesus through humility and service.


We are reminded that the Son of God became man and surrendered His life into the hands of men so that we might be saved. The life of Jesus was centered around His Father’s mission and the service of mankind. And this is how we ought to live — in imitation of Christ.


James and John wanted to ensure they had a spot in heaven with Jesus. They were concerned about themselves in that moment — “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”


Jesus quickly reminded them, “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”


Our culture constantly encourages us to do what we can to get ahead in this world, to do what feels good, no matter the effects — that power, authority, and wealth should be our goals in life.


Our faith offers us something different and fulfilling — a life of humility and service. As Christian stewards, we are called to live our lives in service of God and neighbor, just as Jesus did. Our life is not about us. It is about fulfilling God’s glorious plan for each one of us.


So, we must ask ourselves, are we living out God’s plan for our lives? Is my life centered on Christ and those around me or is it centered on me?


It can be difficult to know God’s plan for our entire life. He sees the whole picture — we only see the now. All we can do is seek Him daily. If each day is centered on Him, then our entire lives will become the work of Jesus. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024

 

Pastoral Pondering

With the election already underway around the country I’ve been asked a number of times about Pope Francis’ comments regarding the two main candidates. These comments were made “off the cuff” during a media gaggle on a plane returning to Rome from one of the Holy Father’s recent trips. Specifically, the Pope noted that the choice in the US election is a choice between “the lesser evil”. From a practical standpoint, I think he probably was trying to say the lesser of two evils. He reminded Catholics that voting is a moral obligation. “In political morality, in general they say that if you don’t vote, it’s not good, it’s bad. You have to vote, and you have to choose the lesser evil,” He noted that both candidates have positions that are anti-life, “Both are anti-life — both the one who throws out migrants and the one who kills babies — both of them are against life.”


The Holy Father’s response is not new. The Church has long held that when no candidate completely aligns with Catholic moral principles, then one is free to vote for the lesser evil based on an informed conscience and understanding the hierarchy of moral values. The US Bishops do a good job of outlining these principles on the USCCB website. A brief overview is https://www.usccb.org/resources/Introductory-Note-Bulletin-Insert.pdf.


In the end we are called to uphold the dignity of the human person, from womb to tomb. We are obligated to form our consciences based on Catholic moral teaching and principles, pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and then exercise our civic duty faithfully and responsibly.



Thanks to those who have helped us kick off our capital campaign and begin the process of Growing Home. As our parish grows and flourishes, the demands on the physical plant grow as well. Our efforts in this campaign will help us address these needs, provide for the future, and better serve those drawn to St. Mark by the Lord.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Palm Sunday

By John Putnam • April 11, 2025
Two very different responses to our Lord’s passion are highlighted during the Gospel reading from Luke today: the response of Simon of Cyrene and the response of Jesus’ acquaintances. Of Simon we are told, “They took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus.” Whether Simon entered willingly and compassionately into this service or whether he took up the Cross of Christ with a grudge, we don’t know. What we do know is this: Simon did his part faithfully. He stayed near to Christ, carrying the Cross until our Lord reached Golgotha, the site of His crucifixion. We also know that Simon’s family was among the first of the early Christians. Staying near to Christ, embracing the Cross (quite literally), transformed his life and the life of his family. In contrast, near the end of this Gospel account, we are told of another reaction to Jesus’ passion and death, namely that “all His acquaintances stood at a distance.” They knew Jesus! They had heard him preaching and teaching, witnessed His signs and miracles, maybe even benefitted personally from them. Perhaps they did not participate in mocking Him or calling for His crucifixion. But they chose to stay a safe distance from Him when the going got tough. Unlike Simon, they refused to go too near to Christ. Where will you place yourself this week? Keeping your distance from all the pain and suffering Christ endured? Or close by, staying near to Him as Simon did? It is when we go near to Christ that we can be transformed by Him. It is by embracing the crosses in our lives, stewarding them well rather than trying to run from them, that we become His true disciples. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As we begin Holy Week and approach the end of the Lenten season, we can hopefully look back and see a fruitful observance of this penitential season. I want to thank all of those who have responded this far and helped us to reach $9 million in pledges and donations for our Growing Home Campaign. We still have a bit of work to do, but your support has been tremendous. We would very much like to increase participation. Remember it is not about equal amounts but equal sacrifice. If you call St. Mark home; then, you are a part of this effort. We need you. This week we are happy to host the Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Charlotte. Bishop Martin will gather with his priests and will bless and consecrate the holy oils and the sacred Chrism that will be used in sacramental celebrations throughout the year. The celebration is open to all who would like to attend. The Sacred Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Following Mass, we will process with the Blessed Sacrament to the Kerin Center for quiet adoration. This is also the evening when it is traditional to visit seven churches for adoration. Resources will be provided for those who wish to participate. Good Friday we will have stations as well as the Service of the Passion. Thursday, Friday and Saturday we will be offering confessions. However, PLEASE try to go earlier in the week. We do our best to accommodate everyone, but there is limited time and only a few of us. Have mercy.  Holy Saturday we will welcome our catechumens into the Church. The vigil begins at 8:30 pm with the blessing of the Easter Fire. Easter Sunday, of course, tends to bring a lot of folks to Mass that perhaps we don’t normally see. Please be patient and kind. We do have two Masses at Christ the King High School that might be less stressful options for families. There will be overflow seating in the Kerin Center, but the parking lot only has so much space, sooooo…..Have a blessed week!

From the Pastor - Fifth Sunday of Lent

By John Putnam • April 4, 2025
Once again, this week, we are reminded of what a loving and merciful God we serve. The theme of the readings for this fifth Sunday of Lent are summed up beautifully in today’s Gospel passage from Luke, which recounts the story of the woman caught in adultery. After all those who would have stoned this woman leave the scene, Christ says to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” When we turn to God for forgiveness, He is indeed gracious and merciful. So much so, that not only will He forgive our sins without condemnation, but He will also make us completely new creations in Christ. What is more amazing is that this all-perfect and holy God of ours draws so very near to us. Our sins do not drive Him from us, but rather to us so that He can set us free from them. Look carefully at Christ’s actions and posture in the Gospel reading as He deals with both the crowd of people, the Scribes and Pharisees, and the adulterous woman. “All the people started coming to Him and he sat down and taught them.” “He bent down and began to write with His finger.” He “straightened up” when He confronted the Scribes and Pharisees about their own sins. And he “straightened up” when He assured the woman that He did not condemn her for her past. Like a skilled teacher, or loving “big brother,” Christ bends down to where we are, He sits among us, He stands to confront us when needed and He stands to look us in the eye to remind us of our true dignity. We’re all unworthy of the great privilege of serving Him. But that, quite simply, is cause for greater joy in serving Him with all our hearts. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering This Sunday begins the traditional Lenten period known as Passiontide which draws our attention to a more direct consideration of the Lord’s Passion and death. The images and statues in the church building are covered as a sign of mourning. In the Liturgy, there is a shift of focus from penance and preparation for Easter to a meditation on the suffering and death of Jesus. The readings during these final weeks of Lent increasingly focus on the events surrounding Jesus’ passion and crucifixion. Passiontide culminates in Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, followed by His Passion and death on Good Friday. The core themes of Passiontide are the suffering and sacrifice of Christ, which is seen as the ultimate act of love and redemption for mankind. Catholics during this time are called to enter into Christ’s suffering in a spiritual sense through prayer, penance, and reflection.  In summary, Passiontide is a deeply contemplative period in the Church, marked by somber liturgies, a focus on the suffering and death of Christ, and practices such as veiling statues and images. It is a time for the faithful to prepare spiritually for the resurrection of Christ at Easter, emphasizing the central role that Christ’s Passion plays in Christian salvation. This is our Lenten home stretch, so play to win!
More Posts