Pastor’s Note 4/26/26

Dear Parishioners:

There’s something about a good piece of music that strikes our ears with joy and satisfaction. Of course, the genre of music might be different for each of us, yet when there’s a well-composed piece of music, it has the capacity to captivate us. We may go back to listen to it over and over. Its rhythm finds a place in our consciousness. Every time we hear it, that music draws us in. In something of a similar way, Jesus speaks about how his voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd, draws people in. It is the authoritative voice over and above the other voices that do not have the best interests of the flock in mind. When Jesus speaks, when we hear his compassionate, powerful voice, it strikes our hearts with joy, obedience, and protection. The Good Shepherd is the one who goes after his sheep. He keeps them together by his guidance. He speaks to us so that we might hear the convincing sound of his voice—the voice of truth, unity, and his unyielding love.

God’s peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 3/22/26

Dear Parishioners:

In the previous Sundays of this Lent, we’ve heard narratives from John’s gospel in which Jesus is providing for the human heart in ways that transcend the power of the world, or the power within ourselves. These stories are deeply human, profoundly moving, and can’t help but make us also reflect on our need, our inescapable need for God. We have heard of the Samaritan woman whose desire for truth, mercy, and restoration is met be Jesus offering her the living water. Last week, it was the man whose sight is cured as Jesus opens not only his physical sight but the eyes of his heart to recognize and worship Jesus as the Light of the World. On this fifth Sunday of Lent, we reach a climax in these narratives as now Jesus provides for the deepest and densest desire of the human heart: to find life beyond this earthly existence. By raising Lazarus from the tomb, Jesus declares that he is the Resurrection and the Life. Where the human heart most desires, where it most fears and finds baffling and insurmountable, Jesus offers the gift of eternal life. He is present to his people, to you and me, all the way to the grave, so that we might truly be raised with him.

God’s Peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 3/15/26

Dear Parishioners:

The healing of the blind man in John’s gospel story could read a lot like a courtroom drama. After this man is miraculously healed by the power of Jesus, a whole slew of questions, skepticism, and interrogations ensues. Those of the religious establishment of the day, even the man’s own parents, put this healing on trial. They are highly skeptical that a man born blind could ever be made whole by God in this way. They argue against Jesus because this act of mercy has been performed on the Sabbath. They continually cast doubt on the validity and truth of this healing by undermining the experience of the man himself. Convincingly, this simple man testifies that he has truly been healed—and Jesus is therefore the Lord. Although everyone around him wants to subject him to objectifying scrutiny and speculation, this man stands firm in what God has done for him. He was blind and now he sees. And this has been done by Jesus, the Light of the World. This narrative invites us to stand firm in our knowledge of God’s work in our lives. When there’s doubt, fear, or skeptical voices, we are confirmed in what we have come to know in our hearts: Jesus is the Light who brings sight, truth, and transformation to our lives.

God’s peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 3/8/26

Dear Parishioners:

 Would God ever take time to get to know you? Maybe that seems like an odd or even inappropriate question. We may think of God as well occupied with more important things than us, or too mighty for casual conversations with you and me. And yet, the Gospel today is just that: Jesus getting to know the Samaritan woman at the well. She comes from a broken, stigmatized past: she is considered second-class by virtue of her gender, religion, and social ranking. The very fact that Jesus even begins a conversation with her is astounding by all standards of that era. Not only does he engage her in conversation, but he takes time to get to know her. He gently opens up a space in their encounter where she feels respected, heard, and seen. Throughout this soul-searching dialogue, Jesus invites her deeper spiritual thirst, he challenges her to recognize her need for conversion and repentance, and he guides her to know that she is to be given a mission by God. After this extended, profound moment of mutual exchange, this woman goes forth carrying with her the knowledge that God has known her…not just facts and figures about her, but her life, her soul, her entire being. And she has discovered the most profound truth: this God, in Jesus the Savior, comes to know her because he loves her, saves her, and offers her life with him. That’s the God who likewise takes time to know us, who offers his very self to save and love us always.

God’s peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 3/1/26

Dear Parishioners:

We can often struggle with "seeing the whole picture." Wouldn't you agree? We experience the bits and pieces, the ins and outs, of our daily moments, work, tensions, and dilemmas. There's the effect of tunnel vision that can set in: we are so narrowly focused on the dreary demands of the moment-to-moment that our spirits droop. Sometimes we struggle to see above it all and to maintain perspective beyond the particulars, which can overwhelm us. And that's where Jesus arrives at the mountain experience of the Transfiguration in this weekend's Gospel. His disciples are deep into the demands of discipleship: listening to Jesus' hard teachings, facing the backlash of those who oppose him, confronting their own weakness and sin, and literally journeying along to an unknown future in Jerusalem. And Jesus reveals his glory, resplendent, wondrous, and reinvigorating for the disciples in their weary moments. Such it can be for us, especially in the journey of Lent, one of purposeful self-denial, sacrifice, and trust in the power of the Lord's transformative mercy to heal us. The Lord shines his transfigured glory upon us so that we see the full, complete, and eternal picture...that even now, in this season, in whatever low moment, is coming to pass. 

God’s Peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 2/8/26

Dear Parishioners,

We just celebrated the Christmas season, giving thanks for the unmatched gift from God of his son to us as our redeemer. We also have celebrated the Epiphany of the Lord, the Baptism of the Lord, and just celebrated the Presentation of the Lord on the February 2nd. The celebration of these feasts invites us to reflect on whom Jesus is to us and how we could be Jesus to someone else.

Being Jesus to someone else reflects to our various callings to be a true disciple of Jesus who is a patient, merciful, compassionate as peacemaker and a holy people just as the gospel reading on the beatitudes reminded us last Sunday; it is by following the footsteps of Jesus and it is by living the promise of the beatitudes that we could find that lasting peace and happiness that we all desire.

This weekend is the continuation of the beatitudes and Jesus today, reminds us to be the light and salt of the earth. Like salt, we care and nurture people to bring out the best in them; like the light, we light up the world that is full of various darknesses that separates us from both God and from each other. The world needs many lights and more salt, many people are struggling with various forms of darkness, the darkness of division, darkness of hatred, darkness of pride, and darkness of spiritual dryness. Jesus is inviting us for us through our Christian conduct, sharing our gift with those who do not have, showing compassion to those who are struggling that our light of faith would be made visible for others to see and to follow Christ.

Peace and God’s blessings,

Fr. Sampson

Pastor’s Note 1/25/26

Dear Parishioners:

What’s on the other side of a decision, the decision made each day, to follow Jesus Christ? That’s what the Gospel of today describes. After the initial proclamation by Jesus that the Kingdom of God is at hand, and therefore the people are called to repent, Jesus begins calling his individual disciples, those to follow him. We can assume that these fishermen from the Gospel passage today have heard something of Jesus. They have either heard his riveting message firsthand or they have caught wind of it as the popularity of Jesus spreads throughout that land. And now, as Jesus encounters them on the shoreline at their livelihood, they are called to follow. With very little to go on, without any contractual assurances or even a vague roadmap for the journey proposed, these disciples drop everything, leave it behind, and follow Jesus. And they do so immediately, we are told. What did they expect to be on the other side of that decision? Honestly, they didn’t know absolutely and concretely— and so is the same for us. Each day, we have the opportunity to recommit to following Jesus, to shedding our distractions and self-constructed projects, and following Jesus unreservedly. Now we can’t say what exactly is on the other side…but we can rest assured who is with us, leading us in that journey of true life, service, and fulfillment.

Finally, I thank you, for prayerfully considering in this week ahead your gift to the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries, the annual way that we support ministries, services, and programs of faith-in-action across our Archdiocese. This coming weekend we’ll have the opportunity as a community to offer our generous support. Contributions can also be made at: www.archbalt.org/aacm  Thank you!

God’s Peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 1/18/26

Dear Parishioners:

Someone once told me that our lives can essentially be thought of as arrows. That’s right, you and me are arrows, and our lives can point in a whole lot of different directions. On a day-to-day basis, it’s perfectly normal that our lives “point” to a diversity of goods, goals, and values. At work, we aim toward efficiency and excellence. At home, we seek to point toward peace, communication, and relationship. With our friends, we want our encounters to point toward relaxation, encouragement, and support. And if we step back, we also recognize that throughout everything we do and experience in life, there’s the larger sort of arrow: where is all of my life, in all of its complexity, pointing toward? Is it pointing to me, or to something outside of me? Is it pointed solely at the passing things of this world, or at something more eternal? Today in the Gospel John the Baptist presents himself as an arrow: the prophetic arrow who points entirely to Jesus, the Son of God. John understands everything about his life as pointing out and paving the way for the Lord. He makes us ask the heart-stirring question: where does the arrow of my life point?

God’s peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 1/10/26

Dear Parishioners:

Plenty of things in our life each day remind us of who we are, what we’ve committed to do, and what we’re all about in our daily dealings. We might think of the wedding ring that spouses wear as a reminder each morning of their promises of marriage—to live faithfully and show sacrificial love to one another. There may be the clothes worn to work, perhaps even a uniform, that help situate us within our specific job or occupation. Trophies, awards, or plaques on our walls at home or work can point us toward the best of what we have become—and still strive to become. We could call these identity markers, reminders of our goals, pursuits, and purposes day to day. On this day of the Baptism of the Lord, we mark the baptism of Jesus, a moment when he opened up and sanctified the waters of baptism for us. In doing so, Jesus makes baptism for us the identity marker. Through the saving waters of baptism, we are immersed into the life of Jesus, into the very life of God himself who claims us as his beloved sons and daughters by adoption through Jesus. What does it mean to carry and live this identity as a beloved daughter or son of God? To take the image of baptism itself, we are plunged into the life of God himself, we are immersed into God’s love, we find our permanent, true belonging in our relationship with God. To recall our baptism is to be reminded of this fundamental, inerasable identity: we are children of God, made to live in his love and strive for the kingdom of God that Jesus has made known to us.

Also, I do wish to express my apologies for recent inconsistencies in the communication of Mass times, particularly over the holy days of the past weeks. I recognize the inconvenience and will be working to ensure future clarity in this area.

God’s Peace,

Fr. John

Pastor’s Note 1/4/26

Dear Parishioners:

If we envisioned the Christmas event as concentric circles, we would notice how the news of the newborn Child ripples outward. On Christmas itself, that glorious day, our attention is drawn to the Child, the manager, the long-awaited birth of the Savior. We give thanks to God the Father for sending his Son Jesus as our King and Redeemer, coming among us as one of us, in gentleness, humility, and closeness. Then we widened out last weekend to view the Holy Family, the family unit of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as this blessed community of family where God’s grace is to be found, where God’s love is to be shared, where God’s presence abides and radiates. And now the circle of influence of Christmas frames out farther. On this Epiphany, the Scriptures would have us see to all the nations, to all peoples. This is represented by the appearance of those Wise Men, or Magi, who come from the East to visit and pay homage to the newborn King. Here, the news spreads far and wide, taken to understand that the news of Jesus’ birth and presence in our world is to reach all the world. This Epiphany is a chance to consider how we are involved in that, how we are agents of that movement outward, how, in many small and wonderful ways, the Light of Christ shines on others precisely through our witness.

Also, I do want to thank everyone for the generosity offered for Fr. Sampson’s village in Nigeria. While he had planned to be traveling there this month, present geopolitical circumstances make the trip at this time untimely. Please keep his family and people in your prayers, and we will provide further updates on future plans.

God’s peace,

Fr. John