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Mark Jacks

Mark Jacks
In Path To Sunday

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday Readings: Acts, Colossians, John

Reflection:

Easter greetings to all on this happy and blessed day! We rejoice with the Church at our liberation from the bondage of sin. Jesus has won the victory for us.

One of the most dramatic and awesome moments in the reading of the Passion happens at the moment of Jesus’ death: Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed His last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51-53).

In this powerful symbolic event the separation between God (whose holiness dwelt behind the veil in the Jerusalem temple) and His people was breached and healed. God and His people are now restored to communion through the saving death of Jesus which repaired the fracture caused by original sin. Within days, Jesus is raised from the tomb in the final conquest of Satan, sin and death. May we joyfully embrace the salvation He has won for us!

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

- Fr. Ed
Mark Jacks
In Path To Sunday

Palm Sunday

Philippians 2:7-8

He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Full Palm Sunday Readings: Isaiah, Philippians, Mark

Reflection:

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-7

St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 2, presents the “Philippians Hymn.” This scripture is a moving description of Jesus’ humility in willingly sacrificing his own life out of great love. The concept of “emptying” (in Greek: kenosis) is understood as Jesus willingly laying aside his divine power. Dr. David Campbell wrote, “Jesus, the god-man, was fully divine, but veiled his glory to accomplish his mission – and prove humans could fulfill the Law of God with the help of the Holy Spirit and a commitment to faithfulness.”

This is the mystery we walk through this Holy Week, beginning with the reading of the Passion today.

Meditating on the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary – the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross, and the Crucifixion – can help us to be united with Jesus as he endures his Passion. But his seemingly humiliating death is not the end.

The Philippians Hymn concludes with: Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:8-11

The one who was brutally executed has conquered death itself in his glorious Resurrection. God bless you this Holy Week.

- Fr. Ed

Reflection

  • How does Jesus’ willingness to undergo suffering and death out of love for you deepen your understanding of God’s love?
  • In what areas of your life do you struggle to “empty yourself” and let go of control, trusting in God’s plan for you?
  • As we enter Holy Week, how can you make more time for prayer and reflection to be united with Jesus in his Passion?
Mark Jacks
In St. James Jobs

Director of Evangelization and Formation

ST. JAMES PARISH – ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL
DIRECTOR OF EVANGELIZATION AND FORMATION

Position Type: Full Time

Department: Formation + Evangelization

Under the direction of the pastor, the Director of Evangelization and Formation provides leadership and oversight for Religious Education, Youth Discipleship and Evangelization, FOCUS Parish Outreach, and other efforts associated with evangelization and faith formation. This includes pastoral planning and needs assessment regarding evangelization and faith formation for the parish and school. The Director supports, accompanies, and equips the leaders in parish ministerial areas to focus their attention beyond parishioners and into the community at large.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Collaborates with the Pastor and other Pastoral Team members on discerning the vision that best enables the parish to offer ways for all parishioners to practice missionary discipleship.
  • Develops strategies and methods to help integrate new members into parish ministries and parish life overall.
  • Provides direct management and leadership for staff who direct Religious Education, Youth Discipleship and Evangelization, FOCUS Parish Outreach, as well as lay leaders who coordinate faith formation programs, such as RCIA.
  • Assists those who coordinate the parish ministries to help them align the vision of their specific ministries to the parish vision and develop teamwork that will support these efforts.
  • Develops an annual budget for the pastoral ministries that provide for parish vitality and evangelization in collaboration with the Controller.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Seven to ten years of experience in evangelization and/or faith formation working within a parish or religious organization.
  • Bachelors or Masters’ degree in Theology; religious education or related field and/or experience in parish catechetical ministry; Archdiocesan Catechist Certification; Protecting God’s Children trained.
  • Demonstrated success in leading and managing teams with a strong commitment to collaboration and teamwork among the clergy, staff, volunteers, groupings, and the Archdiocese of Chicago.
  • Technology, social media, and computer literacy.
  • Practicing Catholic with a solid grounding in Catholic identity and the faith tradition.
  • An evangelizer, yourself, who can share experiences of “being a disciple, and making disciples” in line with our parish mission statement.
  • Able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a reasonable balance among the legitimate claims of family, community, personal relationships, and ministry, and possess the ability to be sensitive to the realities of parish life as it is lived in our community.
  • A change maker, who can ascertain the future needs of ministries, develop plans, match resources to the needs, and implement.
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    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    4th Sunday of Advent & Christmas

    John 1:23

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    Full Gospel Passage: John 1:1-18

    For Christmas Day

    Isn’t it a little crazy: Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, and yet we are busy giving gifts to everyone else but the birthday boy. Did you ever wonder what Jesus wants for his birthday? I think he may want Time. It is a special gift that, in a way, can only be given once. At the same time – no pun intended – that is the gift he has already given to us.

    In the Gospel reading for Christmas day, we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.”

    Not only did God create time itself, but God gave us his own personal time. When God the Son took on our human nature and was born in Bethlehem, he was giving us 33 years of his presence on earth. Are we willing to give to Jesus our time? Are we willing to volunteer, pray, worship, and spend time at St. James? Are willing to give Jesus a unique gift of Time for his birthday?

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • What does Jesus truly desire for His birthday? Consider if you’re ready to present Him with the precious gift of your time.
    • Besides time, what is Jesus’ silent wish for you to give for His birthday? Sit with Him and contemplate how you can gift Him more through prayer, worship, and service.

    Reminder:

    We get to go to mass twice this Sunday! About every six or seven years (a leap year might extend the interval) the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve fall on the same day. As Catholics, we are obligated to attend and participate in the mass on Sundays and other days designated as holy days of obligation, like Christmas. So this Sunday, like our regular obligations, we must attend mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve. A lot is happening but lets make sure to remember why we prepare, gather, and celebrate: the birth of our lord Jesus Christ.

    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Third Sunday of Advent

    John 1:23

    I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
    ‘make straight the way of the Lord

    Full Gospel Passage: John 1:6-8, 19-28

    In today’s gospel reading, the “Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites” to ask John the Baptist, “Who are you?” Didn’t they know he was John the Baptist?

    They knew his name but wanted to know if he was one of the three persons whose arrival they were anticipating. In the first century AD, the Jewish people expected:

    • A Davidic messiah figure, the Christos, to fulfill God’s promise to King David that one of his descendants would always sit on the throne (2 Sam 7:11-13): (2 Sam 7:11-13): “Moreover, the LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you: when your days have been completed and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, sprung from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom. He it is who shall build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever.”
    • That Elijah (who never died but was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire – 2 Kings 2:11) would come back and prepare the way for the Messiah (Malakai 4:5): “See, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the day of the Lord comes, that great day, greatly to be feared.”
    • There will be a prophet like Moses who will explain and clarify the law (Deuteronomy 18:15-18): “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kindred; that is the one to whom you shall listen… I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all that I command.”

    While John was not the messiah/Christ, Elijah, or the prophet, Jesus identified him as a figure like Elijah (Matt 11:14), preparing the way of the Lord.

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • Amidst Advent’s anticipation, do you approach prayer with openness to the unexpected ways God acts? How can this expectancy deepen your connection with Him?
    • Reflecting on John’s preparation, how might your Advent prayer create space for Christ’s presence, shaping a welcoming heart for His arrival?
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Second Sunday of Advent

    2 PETER 3:9

    The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance

    Full Gospel Passage: Mark 1:1-8

    “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

    Peter reminds us of the important meaning of this time of repentance and preparation, the season of Advent; firstly, the Lord’s desire for us, and secondly, our interior disposition as we prepare.

    The Prophet Isaiah uses very earthy language which can be applied to our hearts: “In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.”  (Isaiah 40:3).

    Confession is a fruitful way to prepare for both Christmas and the Second Coming of the Lord. There is a necessary humility in confessing our sins in the sacrament, but a powerful grace comes in a good confession. It is the opportunity to make a fresh start and receive the Lord’s abundant forgiveness. There’s a scene in John Powers’ delightful novel about growing up Catholic in the 1950s Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect up? in which the author leaves church and returns home after going to confession. In his head, he hears these joyful words – Free from sin! Free from sin! Free from sin!

    - Fr. Ed Pelrine

    Reflection

    • How will you actively align your Advent with the Lord’s patience and desire for repentance (2 Peter 3:9)? Take a specific step, like praying in adoration, today to foster repentance and preparation recognizing it as a key aspect of this season.
    • What concrete action can you commit to experiencing the grace of confession? Consider going to confession at St. James on Thursdays and Saturdays, or scheduling a confession as a tangible step towards a renewed spiritual journey this Advent.
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    First Sunday of Advent

    MARK 13:33

    Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.

    Full Gospel Passage: Mark 13:33-37

    Can you believe it? It is only 21 days until Christmas; so much to do, so little time. Thank God Amazon delivers. While Advent is a busy time in which we prepare for Christmas by cleaning, decorating, and shopping, perhaps we should also prepare… just in case Jesus comes back. Can you imagine Christmas morning, Jesus knocking on your door and saying: “I heard you are having a party for my birthday, mind if I join you?” While it may seem far-fetched, we truly don’t know when Jesus is coming back.

    He tells us in today’s gospel: “You do not know when the time will come.” If Jesus did come, would we wish that we had more time to prepare? More time to volunteer, more time to help our neighbor, more time to pray, read the bible… anything to prepare for his coming? I doubt we would wish that we had watched more episodes of our favorite TV show or YouTube and TikTok videos. I bet we would wish that we had given Jesus more of our time. We can start by giving our time here at St. James.

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • In the midst of the Christmas bustle, what specific actions or changes can you incorporate into your daily routine to ensure that you are allocating meaningful time to volunteer, help your neighbor, and engage in prayer or scripture to grow your relationship with Jesus?
    • Reflecting on Jesus’ return, what adjustments can you make in your priorities to align more closely with what you would value if Jesus were to arrive unexpectedly, such as dedicating more time to prayer, reading the Bible, and serving your community?
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 25:21

    Well done, my good and faithful servant.

    Full Gospel Passage: Matthew 25:14-30

    In the parable of the talents from Matthew chapter 25, we hear the familiar lesson from Jesus about the master who gives his talents (money) to three of his servants. He gave them responsibility over very large amounts of money. Two of the servants were good and prudent stewards who invested the money, but the third buried his treasure out of fear. We are all given treasures by God, who may be asking us through this parable to seriously consider what we are doing with that gift.

    Time, talent, and treasure are abundant gifts from a generous God. What does our stewardship look like? Are we imitating God’s generosity in building up others and the Church?

    - Fr. Ed Pelrine

    Prayer for Reflection

    Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve as you deserve, To give and not to count the cost, To fight and not to heed the wounds, To labor and not to seek to rest, To give of my self and not ask for a reward, Except the reward of knowing that I am doing your will.

    - St. Ignatius of Loyola
    Prayerfully Consider Your Stewardship
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 25:13

    Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

    Full Gospel Passage: Matthew 25:1-13

    I remember the shock: it was 1995 and I was in college. A classmate with whom I had many classes in high school died at the age of 20. When you are young, you think you are going to live forever; as you get older, you realize time goes quicker than you think. Jesus’ words are just as true today as they were back then: “Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” When I come before the Lord at the end of my life – which could be any day – what will I tell him that I did with all the earthen treasures that he entrusted to my care?

    After all, he created the world; everything ultimately belongs to him. Did I freely and gladly return to him what is already his? Did I give of my treasure to the poor and to the Church? It is one thing to bequeath my money after I die and it is no longer any good to me, it is another to lovingly give it away now. I hope to love Jesus intensely now by giving back my treasure so that I may ultimately have treasure in heaven.

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • How am I presently stewarding the earthly treasures entrusted to me by God, considering the transient nature of life?
    • How can I more actively share my treasures with the needy and support the Church, embodying a spirit of selfless generosity in the present?
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 23:10

    You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

    Full Gospel Passage: Matthew 23:1-12

    We read today Christ rebuking the Pharisees and the practice of their priestly work for the gratification of themselves to be seen by others as being holy. They took the opportunity to show their piousness by expanding their phylacteries (small leather pouch or box that carried the law) and lengthening their tassels. They wore the façade of holiness yet were all too eager to accept places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ They were not living their purpose to shepherd the people of Israel back to God but expand their influence and status, as well as their material comfort and benefit. As a result, there were factions within the Jewish community that purported to know the fullness of the law and that if the Jewish people wanted to be truly faithful they should follow them.

    Christ shows us how we are to avoid those pitfalls and look to Him and His Church: Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Following Christ and knowing Him personally is what we long for. He is the way the truth and the life and He’s given us a Church that provides us with Sacraments, moments to experience an outward sign of inward graces, to experience Him and His unending love for us. We are called to move towards Him, not to tie ourselves to worldly vices that detract from Him. To move as siblings in Christ building up His church and inviting souls outside the Christian family to join us. The parish today is the primary vehicle we can achieve that, and providing the parish with our talent, treasure, and time and seeing that those three “t’s” belong to God helps us move the mission of the Church forward, to make disciples of all nations.

    Reflection

    • When have you placed appearances and worldly recognition ahead of genuine faith and service, as the Pharisees did?
    • How can you invest your time, talents, and resources to strengthen your Christian community and the Church’s mission?
    • In what practical ways can you ensure your material wealth is used to strengthen the Church’s mission and deepen your connection with Christ while avoiding worldly distractions?
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