From the Heart of the Shepherd

From the bulletin for the Second Sunday in Lent (Mar 16, 2025)

Second Sunday in Lent

“Whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me” (Mt 25:40). Such was the punchline for this past Monday’s Gospel. In the first days of Lent, the lectionary’s design seems to be alternating among scriptural lessons on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Monday’s theme was definitely the necessity of giving alms: we shall be judged, in the end, on the basis of the love we showed Christ in our needy neighbors. 

That’s a thought that entered my mind again this past Wednesday as I made my way through one of the care facilities in our parish, Lynnhurst Estates. It’s a pitiable place, if you have never been. The residents there all seem to suffer from severe mental illness, physical handicaps, poverty, or all of the above. Though their physical needs are more or less cared for, one perceives, when walking the halls and smelling the smells, immense want. Surely, such are the “least ones” in which Jesus hides. 

If I were wiser, I would visit there more often. Though the residents can be difficult to interact with, and most are not exactly clamoring for a visit from a priest, in a half hour there, one can do a lot of things for Christ. Those imprisoned by illness or incapacity can be visited. Those thirsting for human connection can be given a drink. Those hungering for the Bread of Life can be fed. Those naked of grace (or simply adequate covering) can be clothed. And those  or whom the “Son of Man will come in His glory, and all the angels with Him,” can be prepared for a holier death. 

You would be most welcome to pay a visit there too (contact Audrey if interested!). But in a like manner, the Lord in His love is giving us all a way to “check many boxes” with our financial almsgiving this Lent. Imagine there were a way, with one check, to provide food to the hungry, pastoral visits to the sick and imprisoned, shelter to the homeless, resources for mothers in crisis pregnancies, Catholic education to those who could not otherwise afford it, future priests for the Church, and the means of having the Good News preached to the deaf and the good folks in Venezuela. Sound ludicrous? On the contrary, it’s the annual opportunity known as the Catholic Services Appeal. 

The CSA, formerly known as the Archbishop’s Appeal, is the way Catholics from around the archdiocese support those charitable and evangelical works which are too big for any one parish to undertake. So the Archdiocese does on behalf of all. The “buckets” that the Appeal funds are all related to Catholic education, formation in the faith, service to the poor and needy, and respect for life. In other words, many of the core values of our parish and Catholics everywhere. 

We are rolling out the 2025 CSA at St. Mark’s during this season of Lent as one of our recommended ways of giving alms to those in need. Did you know that each parish is assigned a giving goal for the Appeal? Yes indeed. Ours is in the ballpark of $30,000. Last year, our goal was that everyone give something. And in the end, we got about halfway there. Progress! But this year, we want to do our full share. And if each household gives 5% of what they give annually to the parish to the CSA, we will.

“But Father, what if we go overboard and exceed our  30K goal?” you worrisomely wonder. Not to fear: all proceeds in excess of the goal are returned to your parish, I understand. Where they will be put to very good use.  

So, Catholics, feel the appeal! I plan to speak to the opportunity at the Masses next weekend, and on the following (Sunday the 30th) we will take up a second collection for the CSA. Learn more about the Appeal and the important services that it make possible for the benefit of little brothers and sisters of all sorts https://www.archspm.org/catholic-services-appeal. Don’t neglect the needy Christ this Lent!

From the Heart of the Shepherd: The First Sunday in Lent