St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

Egypt Vacation Bible Camp
June 21 – 25, 2010
(Mark your calendar & reserve the dates!)
Program for Kids in 1st – 6th grade in the fall of 2010
All Day: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., or Morning Program: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
(Children may arrive as early as 8 a.m. at no additional charge)
Pre-K/ K Program –9 a.m. [...]

Friends,
Jesus used local images in his stories and parables.  Now here we are 2000 years later, and we have a setting of first-century Palestine and sheep.  I really doubt that many of us have seen a flock of sheep being guarded and led by a shepherd.  However, this is a powerful parable that is still [...]

(1) The value of action

All efforts and endeavors to do right and to please God are meritorious in intention. In today’s stories, we see the apostles tried before the Sanhedrin for having worked at propagating the news that Jesus was risen as God’s favored One. This labor makes of Jesus’ enemies the guilty party, the enemies of God’s cause in the world. In the second reading we witness the recognition by the heavenly court of the work of the Lamb of God, who is now worthy to receive the crown of glory for high quality service to God Almighty. Finally, in the gospel, we see Peter and his six …

Friends,
Do you know that here at St. John’s we have a chapel of Diving Mercy?  Well, the answer is yes.  We have converted the chapel of the sisters’ convent into a 24-hour exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  There are people who drop by the chapel for an hour of quiet prayer all day long, and [...]

Friends,
What does Easter mean to you?  For some, Easter means white lilies or Easter eggs or chocolate bunny rabbits.  For some, Easter is merely a holiday with time off from job and school.
What does Easter mean to you?  As Catholic Christians, I would hope that it means celebrating the victory of Jesus over death.  I [...]

Introduction: Every year we celebrate Holy Thursday. The liturgy is one the permanent rituals of the Church, just as the celebration of the Jewish Passover was a permanent ritual for the people under Moses’ guidance. One of the most important components of this ritual of Holy Thursday is the Mandatum or the Washing of the feet in obedience to the command of the Lord that we should do likewise. This act is also the story of the gospel. I propose therefore to reflect upon the meaning of sacred ritual. It may be good to start with our own experiences of hospitality. How do we honor our guests when we throw a party and invite people dear to us? What is the one thing that cannot miss in a festive celebration in our home? Why is it so?

Friends,
This last Sunday was a red letter day, when our House of Representatives passed the Health Care Reform Bill.  It was a nasty political fight, but I truly believe that the American people deserve a reform of our medical practices.  One poll surveyed Californians and found that 25% lacked adequate health care and at the same [...]

Friends,
What does love look like?  St. Augustine said that love has the hands to help other.  Love has feet to hasten to the poor and needy.  Love has eyes to see misery and want.  And love has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of others.
I like that quotation, and it made me think about love [...]

Friends,
In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the example of a fig tree.  The master came looking for figs and found none.  The gardener tried to feed and pamper the tree for three years and still no fruit …  This a parable about you and me.  God has blessed each one of us with wonderful graces.  God [...]