SJBExcelsior Podcast: Recent Episodes
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We have all things SJB! Please check out the following: 1. Homilies by Fr. Alex Carlson 2. Youth Ministry Talks 3. SJB Catholic Montessori School Parent Enrichment Presentations
*St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Excelsior, MN
Fr. James Huvane speaks about the mission work of Maryknoll in this year's Mission Appeal.
If we want to grow in the spiritual life, we need to spend time in prayer. We might find it hard, but the Holy Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness, and helps us to pray.
The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. May we let him work in our hearts.
Fr. Carlson dives into why Jesus speaks in parables, and begins to unpack the parable of the sower.
God calls us into a unique relationship with Him. May we humble ourselves to realize that we can’t do this on our own, and acknowledge that we need God.
Are we in right order? Do we follow the instructions of Jesus clearly, and do we know what He’s actually saying? Fr. Andy McAlpin O.P. invites us to see how Jesus calls us to put first things first, in right order.
Who, or what, do we worship? Do we worship God or do we worship our job? Someone else? Sports? Money? Fr. Carlson speaks about right worship in his homily this past Sunday.
God loves the world. This may seem like a simple point, but it's one we always have to remember.
What happens when Jesus ascends to heaven? We hear in the Nicene Creed that he is - “seated at the right hand of the Father.” What does it mean for a king to sit down on his throne? It means he’s been victorious.
Fr. Carlson speaks about the great gift of Confirmation. We are never alone. We always have the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, with us.
"The Church is the sheepfold whose one and indispensable door is Christ." - Lumen Gentium
Fr. Josh Brown dives into the significance of Baptism on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord this past Sunday.
During the Advent season, we hear a recurring theme of light. Light helps us to see clearly, through darkness.
Advent is a time to rekindle the flame inside us - the living flame of our relationship with Christ. When we do this, we put on the armor of Christ and it transforms us.
Souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves. That duty falls to us. Deacon Michael gives us four simple things we can do to assist the souls in purgatory:
- During the 7 days following All Souls' Day there is a plenary indulgence applicable to the souls in purgatory when you visit a cemetery and fulfill the necessary requirements for a plenary indulgence: https://seton-parish.org/plenary-indulgences-for-all-souls-week-and-the-month-of-november#:~:text=Visiting%20a%20Cemetery%3A%20Visiting%20a,only%20mentally%2C%20for%20the%20departed.
- Pray the Rosary for them.
- Have Masses said for those who have passed away.
- Pray St. Gertrude's prayer: https://prayforsouls.org/ways/prayers/st-gertrude
Don’t grow weary in prayer, especially in challenging times. Go to the Lord, he’s going to help.
Psalm 121 - I will raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
We’re not battling by ourselves. The Lord is with us.
There is an obvious call from Jesus in this past Sunday's parable of Lazarus and the rich man, but there is a deeper spiritual understanding as well.
Jesus addresses this parable to the Pharisees, and is calling them, and us, to conversion. He is the Lazarus in the story, the one the rich man does not want to see. He has come to save them, but they have closed their eyes to him and want none of it.
The invitation for us to to consider today as the time of conversion. Don't wait until tomorrow. Jesus longs for us to be in relationship with Him today.
Fr. Carlson dives into the often misunderstood Parable of the Dishonest Steward. Does Jesus commend the dishonesty of the steward? No, rather, he is pointing out something deeper.
Fr. Carlson shares how to go to the Lord when our hearts are heavy, and speaks to the tragic events of last Wednesday.
We have to spend time with God in order to grow. Are we stuck in the same place as when we were 10 years old, 20 years old? How do we grow spiritually?
Sometimes it gets hard, but never give up hope.
Deacon Michael Nevin, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 17, 2025
Jealousy is saying - “God, I like the gift that you gave to this other person better than the gifts that you gave to me.”
Fr. Michael Van Sloun unpacks how easily we can fall into the various forms of greed, and how to remedy it.
The disciples come to Jesus asking Him to teach them how to pray. We, as disciples, also ask this question. We all know the importance of prayer but how do we actually pray?
Here at St. John's we will be holding a 6-week School of Prayer to explore this very question. Find more details here: https://stjohns-excelsior.org/school-of-prayer/
How do we enter into prayer? How do we enter into Mass? Fr. Carlson gives practical tips to be less distracted and more present.
Deacon Michael unpacks the parable of the Good Samaritan, explaining who each of the people in the story represent.
He also invites us to reflect on the times we’ve chosen the other side of the street, rather than helping someone in need. We are called to serve no matter the cost, knowing that God will give us the grace.
Do we cry to God with joy, as the psalmist says in Psalm 66? This week, Fr. Carlson invites us to praise God for His goodness, in small moments and in big.
Fr. Carlson connects the Old and New Testament to reflect on the great Solemnity of Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ).
What does Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory have to do with the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity? Watch Fr. Carlson's homily to find out.
In his homily for Pentecost Sunday, Fr. Carlson reflects on one of his favorite prayers - “Come, Holy Spirit, Come”.
Deacon Michael describes how the feast of the Ascension is a great feast of hope.
“...he ascended, not to distance himself from our lowly state but that we, his members, might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder, has gone before.” – Preface I for the Ascension of the Lord
Our lives are so full of noise. A key part of our journey is the need to cultivate silence. Fr. Carlson gives practical tips on how to hear the voice of God.
We can ignore Jesus, mock him, scourge him, yet he still gives himself to us. This is how great His love is for us.
"Jesus came not to destroy those he found, but to seek those who were lost." —St. Augustine
When you go to Confession, do you feel like you’re going to the principal’s office because you’re in trouble? Or you feel like you’re going to a feast? In Confession we go to the arms of the Merciful Father, who celebrates with great joy that we are there, and who throws a feast in our honor.
The key to prayer is to actually do it. Fr. Carlson shares two practical tips on prayer.
We shouldn't ignore God's commands, even if they're difficult. Deacon Michael shares from his own experience how to let God in to these areas that are difficult for us.
What truly satisfies us? We can try all we want to make the world our happiness, but it will never fulfill us. Only God can.
Enter into deep relationship with Jesus.
Homily - 2.9.2025 - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus is the light in the midst of darkness. He is always with us. In a Catholic Church, you will always see a red sanctuary candle lit by the tabernacle (except on Good Friday and Holy Saturday), which indicates that Jesus is present in the tabernacle.
When God asks us to do something, he gives us the grace to do it.
Fr. Timothy Combs O.P.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 19, 2025
Have you ever encountered God? Or maybe encountered him in a new way? The magi departed by another way when they left Bethlehem - they were changed by their encounter with the Lord.
What do we do when we have loved ones who have fallen away from the faith? Fr. Carlson reflects on this reality in his homily from the Feast of the Holy Family.
Fr. Carlson uses the image of a garbage truck to illustrate what we are supposed to do with our anxieties.
What does it look like for us to really prepare a place for the Lord? The Lord wants to dwell inside of us, in our hearts. Advent is the perfect time to take an inventory of our life, of our soul - where am I blocking the Lord? Where have I put up a wall, not letting the Lord completely in?
A great way to make room in your heart for God, and remove any blocks, is to go to the Sacrament of Confession.
This Sunday's Gospel reminds us what we are living for. Advent is all about preparation. If we were told we had to swim a mile a month from now, we would take time to prepare for it. Just so, we need to prepare for our ultimate goal - being with God.
Jesus is the personification of love. In light of this, Fr. Van Sloun unpacks the two very important instructions Jesus gives to his disciples in the Gospel this past Sunday.
How are we supposed to love God with all of our mind? What does that mean? Spending time in prayer. The key to prayer is that we actually have to do it. When we do, we’re able to enter into this quest, this journey with the Lord.
Sometimes we can question - does Jesus really know me? Am I worth it? When Jesus was on the cross, he answered these questions definitively. He knew all of your past sins, all of your present sins, and all of your future sins, and he still died for you. Why? Because he loves us. Because he loves you. And he came to serve. Jesus longs to be our servant. Will we let him serve us? Will we acknowledge that we can’t do this on our own? Let go of the lie that you have to earn his love.
This past weekend Fr. Greg Schaffer visited St. John's and spoke about the needs of the Archdiocesan mission parish in Venezuela called Jesucristo Resucitado.
To donate to the mission, you can go to Faith Direct on our website linked here: https://membership.faithdirect.net/givenow/MN855
St. Augustine was asked, “how does one become a saint?” He answered, "The first part, humility, the second part, humility, the third part, humility."
In his homily this weekend, Fr. Carlson shared the story of St. Jeanne Jugan, a woman who lived a life of great humility.
There are moments in our lives that are turning point - “I’m going to go deeper in my faith”, “I'm going to get married", etc.. All of a sudden fear and anxiety can set in. It’s important to remind ourselves when this happens - who doesn’t want us to turn towards God? The evil one. He’s going to try to put up as many obstacles as possible.
In these moments we can say, “get behind me, Satan”. Then, “Lord, help me.” It’s so important to bring these things to the Lord, he is there to help, and he never tires of helping us.
How important it is to spend time in prayer. We have to protect our time with the Lord. The world is full of noise, so it can be hard to hear God. Two practical ways to hear God in prayer:
- Leave the phone behind
- Silence
The commandments lead us into union with God. Fr. Carlson talks about the differences between traditions and commandments. Do your traditions undercut God’s commandments?
So often we can come to Mass with our hearts heavy. Fr. Carlson asks us: where else are we going to go? “To whom should we go?”, as we hear in this week’s Gospel. I hope that’s what you do when you come to Mass - pour out your heart. Let him be the one to answer all of your needs.
God never tires of helping us. When we are at our lowest point, he is there. He wants to give us Himself to strengthen us.
Msgr. Peter Vaccari explains the work of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and Pontifical Mission. Three things you can do to help:
- Pray for the regions they serve and the work they do
- Learn the work that the Catholic Church is doing on the ground
- Donate to the mission: www.cnewa.org
Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. When we receive the Eucharist, we receive God Himself. When we go to eucharistic adoration, we are face to face with God Himself.
So often we can give into that temptation of go, go, go, go, thinking that’s what give us value, that’s what gives us purpose. How often do we think we have to take care of everything? Jesus is inviting us to rest in Him, to let him be the Good Shepherd, to receive his peace.
Jesus calls us, just as he did Amos and the 12 apostles, to let other people know about Him, and to help them enter into relationship with Him.
This Sunday we hear Paul talk about the thorn in his flesh. The Lord tells him, my grace is sufficient for you. Whatever suffering, whatever temptation, whatever weakness we're experiencing, he will provide. Let's not take on the thorn in our side by ourself; rather, may we rely on God, who always provides for us.
Jesus comes to heal and to give us life. He longs to be with us. God cares about you, and he wants you to approach him.
Trust the process that God uses to make us saints. Oftentimes we can say to the Lord, just like the apostles, “Do you not care?”. The Lord knows what the plan is, though, and never abandons us. We have to trust the process, growing in faith.
We can get so worried about the state of things in the world, but let’s not look at it with human eyes, but with the eyes of God. The parable of the mustard seed reminds us of this.
Jesus came to save us, from original sin, from that entrapment of the evil one that we heard about in the first reading this past Sunday. He comes to rescue us and says, “I’m taking you back. Not only am I taking you back, but I’m going to give you everything. You’re going to be my sons and daughters.”
Fr. Carlson's homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, June 2, 2024
God is love. So often though, we think of him as a hard master, over exacting, meticulous, setting traps, and anxious to catch us in wrongdoing. This is not God.
God longs for us to abide in him, and for us to experience his love in the depths of our hearts.
God truly longs to give us peace. A fruit of the Holy Spirit is peace. Let us pray, come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with the peace we are longing for!
Do we see Jesus as our friend? How would that change out lives? Listen to Fr. Carlson's homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
Jesus invites us to abide in Him. What does it mean to abide? It’s an invitation to dwell in the Lord.
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday. In his homily, Fr. Carlson tells the story of the Shreveport martyrs, those priests and sisters who laid down their life for the flock God had entrusted to them.
Jesus comes to rescue us. He wants to raise us out of darkness, death, sin, addiction. He wants to grab us by the hand and be our Savior. This is what we celebrate on Easter. We can’t rescue ourselves. God, in His great love, comes to our rescue.
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
March 31, 2024
He went on the cross for you, for me, for us. He freely chose to go on the cross because he loves us.
Is there something in your life that prevents you from giving your full life over to God? Is there something you need to let go of? Deacon Nevin invites us to ask ourselves these questions. Where do we need detachment?
What happens so often in our life is we get full of dirt (sin), and we start to believe that this is who we are, rather than who God truly created us to be. God desires to help us. We need to let him work on us! What does that look like? Listen to Fr. Carlson’s full homily to see.
God’s law is not a burden set upon us, but is instead a set of loving guardrails to keep us safe and on course, to prevent us from straying too far from him.
What areas of your heart do you need Jesus to cleanse? What are the idols in our lives that need to be thrown down so that God can be at the center - busyness, work, money, sports, etc.?
It is never too late to begin again - invite Jesus into the temple of your heart.
Fr. Carlson explains the significance of the First Reading from this past Sunday. The ram in the thicket? The wood on Isaac’s back? Mt. Moriah? His only beloved son? What do these mean?
Each Lent we hear about Jesus going out into the desert. The desert was known as the devil’s territory. Jesus goes into the desert because he’s bringing the battle to the evil one. Jesus goes on the offensive. Why? Because he loves us, and doesn’t want us to be separated from Him.
As we enter into the season of Lent, let us remember that Jesus is the victor, and that he always goes before us and with us. In times of affliction or temptation, don’t be afraid. Call on Him, He is the victor.
Leprosy separated the leper from their loved ones and their community. What’s more, they were not able to enter the temple to worship God. When the leper came to Jesus he asked him, “If you will it, you can make me clean”. The leper wanted to be able to worship God in the temple. He was longing to be one with God.
Sin is like leprosy - it separates us from God. As we enter into Lent, let us go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus desires for us to be one with Him. Let us go to Him and ask him to heal us.
God cares about us. He wants to be with us, he wants to give us comfort, and healing, and His very self. Jesus heals; this is what he longs to do.
Here's a link to the prayer Father quotes at the end: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/prayer-before-mass-325
We’re not living just for this world. Our focus needs to be on the Lord, putting Him first. We often get distracted from this fact, though. In his homily, Fr. Carlson speaks about the importance of putting the Lord first, and the many ways we get distracted from this reality.
In his homily this past weekend, Fr. Larry Blake speaks about answering God’s call. Responding to God’s call in our lives means letting go of the attachments we hold so dearly, and following Jesus.
One of the beautiful opportunities the Lord gives us is to enter into relationship with him both individually and with others. One way we can foster our relationship with the Lord and with others it through small groups. Small groups enable us to encounter Christ and also to help one another see how God is working in their life too.
To sign-up for a small group at St. John's, fill out the following interest form and a member of our small group team will be in touch with you: www.tinyurl.com/findsjbgroup
Celebrating the greatest pregnancy announcement ever!
Fr. Carlson's Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent, December 24, 2023
We have something greater than the magi - we get to adore Jesus every day. He is truly present in the Eucharist, and we are blessed at St. John’s to have 24/7 eucharistic adoration. If you want to grow in your relationship with the Lord, go to adoration.
Fr. Carlson asks us to commit to 15 minutes a month, minimum, of eucharistic adoration. It might not be easy, but the journey the magi made wasn’t easy. It will be worth it.
Family life can be difficult. Father does a deep dive into the readings from this past Sunday to help us understand how to experience the graces of family life. The family is a school of love; it gives us the opportunity to learn how to love.
There has to be something more. Isn’t there something more? This question can arise in our hearts. Our world is facing a crisis. We are more and more unhappy, we’re not fulfilled. We’re longing for something more. Jesus is the answer to all of our desires.
Fr. Carlson's Homily from December 25, 2023
Have you ever wondered how to pray? Fr. Carlson dives into this question in his homily for the Third Sunday of Advent.
Newly ordained Deacon Bob Burns preaches on preparing the way of the Lord in our lives.
“It’s never going to happen. The northern lights never show up.” Do we feel that same way about Jesus coming again? This time of Advent is, yes, about preparing for the celebration of Christ’s birth, but also the season where we’re able to prepare our hearts, our spiritual life, our moral life, so that we are ready to meet Jesus when he comes.
Mother Teresa made this line in Sunday’s Gospel very famous: “...you did it to me”. She called it the Gospel on five fingers. We are called to love the people in our life - the hungry, thirsty, homeless, ill, those in prison. Vague intentions, positive thoughts, sympathetic emotions - these are not the same as actions. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
God wants more than just an hour. He wants all of us. How can we glorify the Lord by our life?
Do we put Confession off? “I’ll go during Advent, or during Lent.” Do we put our relationship with the Lord off? “When I retire I’ll dedicate more time to the Lord.”
He wants a relationship with you now. Don’t put off until tomorrow what should be done today.
When we are prideful we turn inwards, to ourselves - "pride is because they see no other hope for their happiness, save in themselves". Humility is turning outwards toward God, asking him for help. It is actually in humility and meekness that we will find what we are longing for.
When we see that stranger in the grocery store, that person on TV, is there hate that comes into our heart? Or is there love? In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus tells us, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. It’s a message we need to hear and need to live. We live in a polarized world, but we are called to love our enemies. By doing this, we are transformed, and the world is transformed.
Who are we living for? The world and worldly goods or for God, who has chosen us to be His people?
What does Taylor Swift have to do with accepting God's invitation to the wedding feast?
What is the produce from God’s vineyard? It’s you. We are his children whom He loves. He wants us to enter into this relationship with Him, not because he needs us, but because we need him.
We profess the creed at Mass and say “I believe”. We say “Amen” before receiving Holy Communion. If we leave the church and don’t live this out, though, are we truly meaning yes? Let us live out our ‘yes’ every day of our lives. May we not put off growing our faith life until another day, another month, another Lent, another year.
God is radically merciful. He is always willing to take us, no matter when we come to him. It’s not too late for you to come into relationship with God. He is always searching us out. Accept the invitation.
Over and over again in scripture we hear about the theme of forgiveness. You just can’t hide from it; but what does a parking brake have to do with forgiveness? Father uses a story from a trip of his to explain what unforgiveness does to us.
St. Thomas Aquinas gives a definition of love - “Love is willing the good of the other.” Love is not loving so that I can get something from you. We all know that love can be hard. We all know, especially, that fraternal correction can be hard. Fraternal correction is fraternal love. If someone is in sin, we have to go correct (love) them.
Society will tell us, you do you, and that’s just fine. If this leads you away from God, though, it’s not fine. In love, we are called to go to those we are close to, and invite them to come back to the Lord.
Our faith life takes work. Jesus tells us in this past Sunday’s Gospel, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”. We must deny ourselves when taking up our cross. To deny oneself is hard, but it helps us to rely more on God. What do we find when we deny ourselves and follow Jesus? Joy, fulfillment, everything we are searching for. September 3, 2023 - Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Excelsior, MN
The Canaanite woman in Sunday’s Gospel says to Jesus, “Lord, help me.” How often we too have done this. “Lord, I have no one else to turn to. I can’t do this by myself. Lord, I need you.”
Stepping out of the boat and walking on water towards Jesus, it's not a one time thing. Jesus is asking us each and every day to come and follow Him, to put our trust in Him. He's not saying 'go', but rather 'come'. It's an invitation to follow Him. He never leaves us to go on our own; He is always there with us.
Deacon Nevin's homily from Sunday, August 6, 2023 - The Transfiguration of the Lord.
Why did the Transfiguration happen? What does it mean for us? Jesus revealed His divinity to Peter, James, and John - He IS God. He didn’t reveal his glory just to show off. He was speaking to the apostles. They had a weak faith that needed strengthening. Looking at our own selves, we need that kind of faith too.
Our Lord gives us times that we can look back on to help us through suffering. When we suffer, we can draw back to an experience when God revealed his glory to us.
This week, take some time to consider, when has God transfigured your life? When has he entered into your life? When you suffer, draw on this experience and say, I’m not in charge here, but I can get through this with God’s grace. May I remember what you have done for me, Lord.
Father dives into the parables mentioned in Sunday’s Gospel.
A curfew is not meant to burden or oppress a teenager, but to help them. This is the same with God. His law, his precepts, they are not meant to oppress us - they’re meant to help us enter into relationship with Him. The pearl of great price is our relationship with God.
Father tells a parable about the new parking lot and our faith life. Our faith life needs continued maintenance. It also needs a firm foundation; Christ is the firm foundation. Our foundation needs to go deeper than when we were thirteen years old, or in college, or even ten years ago. We should always, always, always be investing in our faith.
We can do this by spiritual reading. If there are holes between us and God, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation - there He forgives us and heals us, he makes us whole. We must spend time in daily prayer, especially going to adoration.
Our faith life isn’t done in a snap of a finger, it takes time. If you don’t maintain your faith, it will have holes.
Every day we are called to put on the yoke of God, which does not weigh us down, but which frees us. What does the yoke of God look like? We remove our own self-interest and self-reliance. We see ourselves in the way that God sees us. Jesus is saying, “I want to be yoked with you. I want to walk with you, so you are not weighed down, so you are not heavy burdened.”
The job of a preacher is to tell you what God thinks of you. He thinks you are worth dying for. In his homily this past weekend, Fr. Andy McAlpin, O.P. spoke about God’s love for us, and our love for God, as well as our love for others.
The word “worth” comes up frequently in our society today. Sometimes when it comes to the word worth, we don’t see ourselves being worthy at all. How do we think of worth when it comes to our relationship with God? Do we truly value ourselves? Not in a prideful way, but do we see ourselves as God sees us? God sees us for who we really are. We are not worthless. We are worth more than the sin maybe we are in. We are worthy of his love and his help. We need to accept his love, and his grace.
Fr. Carlson shares the poem titled “The Touch of the Master’s Hand” by Myra Welch. So often we too are battered and scarred. So often we can feel like an old, worthless violin. When we let God touch us, he makes us a new creation.
Fr. Carlson shares the story of the Grand Forks flood in 1997. The priest of St. Michael Church went in the midst of the flood to save the Eucharist in the tabernacle, since he worried that the flood waters were going to overtake the church. This story is inspiring because it shows the reality of the Eucharist. It’s not a piece of bread. It’s not a cup of wine. It truly is Jesus Christ.
We are not only moved by our senses, we are moved by our faith. Even when we may doubt this reality, we can say, Jesus, help my unbelief. He is always there for us.
June 11, 2023
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the most important mystery in the Church. A mystery of our faith isn’t what we typically think of when we hear mystery, that something needs to be solved. Instead, a mystery of our faith is something that God reveals to us. For example, the mystery of the Incarnation, and the mystery of the Holy Trinity - these aren’t things to be solved, rather they are an unveiling, an opening of our eyes and heart to know God. God is love. Love is the best way to describe this mystery of the Holy Trinity.
Deacon Michael Nevin preached this weekend.
In his homily this past Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Fr. Carlson spoke about the Holy Spirit in the life of the disciple, using the analogy of a pickle. We need to be plunged, soaked, and pickled with the Holy Spirit!
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. We’re all familiar with this popular saying. This Sunday we celebrated the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. One of the prayers during Mass says, “he ascended, not to distance himself from our lowly state but that we, his members, might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder, has gone before.” As Catholics, we don’t just know a guy, we know THE guy. Jesus does not leave us. He desires more than we’ll ever know that we would join him in heaven. We know that we have THE guy, and he’s waiting for us. He wants to be bothered. He desires to hear from us, his sons and daughters. Let us go to him in prayer and get to know him even more.
May is the month of Mary. On May 13 the Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. Our Lady asked the children to tell the world to do three things - to have a conversion of heart, to repent from sin, and to pray the Rosary every day. Fr. Carlson’s shares how mothers always know best, especially our heavenly mother, and that praying the Rosary every day is a great way to grow closer to Christ.
We all know what it’s like to prepare for a guest to come to our house. What do we do before we receive the Eucharist? We too prepare. When we receive the Eucharist, it is not a piece of bread or a cup of wine, but the body and blood of Christ. He wants to dwell inside of us. Every single time we go to Mass we too are called to prepare to receive Jesus Christ. He’s not just a one time visitor - he is a part of our lives. May we prepare a place for him to dwell. Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary for you.
When you are struck to the heart with questions saying - isn’t there something more than this world has to offer? Isn’t there something more than academics? Isn’t there something more than sports? Isn’t there something more than Instagram? The answer is yes. The answer is, it is God, who wants to be with you, in good times and in bad. Let him shepherd you.
When the two disciples on the way to Emmaus saw Jesus in the breaking of the bread, in the Mass, their eyes were opened to who he is. We today should consider, do we recognize him?
Is Mass just a requirement for us? Do we “punch the clock” and get our obligation out of the way? Do our hearts burn with anticipation and love when we come forward to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament or do we think the Eucharist is just some symbol? Is there something impeding the eyes of our heart from seeing him? We need to let go of those things that impede our eyes from seeing Jesus. Ask Jesus for the grace to let go of these things, and to recognize him and have our hearts burn within us.
Peace be with you. This is what Christ wants to give - he wants to give us peace, love, grace. Many times we can think, what is God going to say to me? I’ve abandoned him, I’m afraid to come to him. Maybe this keeps us away from church, maybe this keeps us away from Confession. Can God truly forgive me? Does he truly want to give me peace? We know the answer to this in our head - we’ve been told over and over again that he loves us, but it can be hard to let that truth penetrate our heart sometimes.
This is what God wants to give - He wants to say to each and every one of us - peace be with you. He wants to give us what we’re longing for, which is Him. We can receive this mercy over and over again, for God never tires of giving it. It’s only in God that we are going to find fulfillment and that we are going to find peace.
In his homily this past Sunday, Fr. Carlson speaks about God’s mercy, and tells a powerful story of one woman’s search for peace, and how she found it.
Happy Easter! Look how much God loves us! He brought us into existence out of love. Even if we reject him, he does not reject us. God continues to give Himself to us. See how we rejected him? Jesus was hung on the cross and crucified. What did he say on the cross? Father, forgive them. God isn't just full of love, he is love.
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, Jesus’ passion and death on the cross; these aren’t just scenes in a book. They are scenes of Christ’s love. He invites us into his love, and wants to reveal his immense love for us! This week, spend time in prayer with these scenes and images from Jesus’ life; place yourself as one of the people in the crowd on Palm Sunday, at the foot of the apostles at the Last Supper, at the Cross. See how much God truly wants to give Himself to you!
Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life, and whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (Jn 11:25). We are a people of the Resurrection, not of death. In his homily, Fr. Carlson invites us to place our faith, hope and trust in Christ, and know that He, Jesus, will be the one that raises us up to be with Him not just now, but forever.
In this past Sunday’s Gospel we hear of Jesus healing a blind man. Jesus seeks out this blind man, and heals him of his blindness. This miracle speaks to us about baptism. By our baptism, we too are able to say - I was blind, but now I see.
The Lord seeks us out. In the Gospel, we hear the story of the woman at the well. Jesus seeks her out. In his homily this weekend, Deacon Nevin shares about his own journey of faith, and how he had an encounter with love, an encounter with truth, and how it changed his life, just like it did for the Samaritan woman at the well. Ask the Lord in prayer - Lord, how are you seeking me out? How are you asking me to be in relationship with you?
God calls us to live a holy life, to holiness, but we do not have to do it alone. We’re not called to do it on our own. God calls us to a holy life, but he’s not saying, "now go ahead and do it on your own". He says, "I will be in you". As we enter into this relationship with God, God says, "I will take care of you and I will lead you, because you are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter, with whom I am well pleased". Fr. Carlson's Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent, March 5, 2023.
A husband or wife says, “I’m going to pour out my love to you”. Alternatively they could say, “I’m going to send you a text of how much I love you”. Which one is deeper? In his homily this past Sunday, Fr. Carlson speaks about the updated translation of the prayer of absolution said in Confession. The word “sent” has been updated to “poured out”, and the word “give” has been updated to “grant”. God pours himself out completely for us. Where do we see this most explicitly? Jesus on the cross. We are not walking along this pilgrim journey alone. God is with us, pouring out Himself completely, because he loves us. God is fighting for you. He does not send someone in His place. He sends Himself. God loves us in the most perfect way. He will never abandon you. Turn to Him.
The prayer of absolution that is said in Confession has been updated to a more accurate translation. The word “sent” has been changed to “poured out”, and the word “give” has been changed to “grant”.
Updated prayer: “God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his son has reconciled the world to himself and poured out (formerly, sent) the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the church may God grant (formerly, give) you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
In his homily on Sunday, Fr. Carlson shares a powerful story of forgiveness. A woman chose to overcome an evil act done to her with her own act of love. To be loving, kind, and merciful is hard, so we must go to God and say “God, help me”. Injustice, hatred, unforgiveness - is it worth carrying that poison that corrupts us from having the freedom that God wants to give us? Lord, help us to reflect love, not hatred.
This week we continue National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14). Fr. Carlson offers insight on loving as Christ loves, and in his homily focuses in on loving as Christ loves within the Sacrament of Marriage.
What does it mean to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world? We're trying to be like Christ. We are called to offer ourselves up in a selfless way, our own wants, our own desires, instead of just looking out for ourselves. Not just for our fellow Christians, not just for our families, not just for our fellow parishioners, but for the whole world. Christ is calling us to something deeper, something greater, so he's telling us, I want you to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus reveals his heart to the disciples. He’s painting a picture about who He is. He wants to develop a relationship with us. All these blessings, this is who I am. Follow me. Imitate me. Be like me. This is the path to holiness. The beatitudes start with the basics, they build upon each other, to heaven. The beatitudes are the path for happiness and the path for holiness.
Fr. Carlson's homily from the Epiphany of the Lord - January 8, 2023
The 3 Magi recognize Jesus as God and King. The magi can no longer return on the road they came on - both physically, because of Herod’s hunger for power, and interiorly. They are transformed by their encounter with Jesus.
The magi give Jesus gifts - we are called to do the same. What does Jesus desire? He wants the gift of you. What is he going to do with this gift? He’s going to transform you. We are called to walk in a new way, to walk on the road of love which alone can transform the world.
Fr. Carlson speaks about Mary's peace, and how we too have the same opportunity to experience that peace, the peace we are longing for.
Deacon Michael Nevin talks about taking time to contemplate the awe and wonder of the majesty of our Lord during this last week of the Advent Season.
Fr. Carlson talks about the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King, and challenges us to think about who or what is the king in our lives.
Fr. Carlson talks about how Catholic Christians find joy in the hope of the Resurrection.
Fr. Carlson talks about seeking God in our lives. As Zacchaeus sought out Jesus, Jesus too, seeks us.
Fr. Carlson talks about sins relating to times we have failed to do what we should, as in the case with the rich man and Lazarus' needs.
Father Carlson speaks about the need to look internally and to prioritize our life according what matters most.
Father Carlson talks this Sunday about "The Parable of the Lost Son" and how our merciful Father always has open arms to those who have been lost. That we are always sought out by Him and loved by Him. And in the end He is the only one who can make us whole.
Father Carlson talks about self discipline and growing in our spiritual life so that we can willingly carry our cross as spoken about in our Gospel today. He also talks about a new program for men, Exodus 90, that will start at St John's on September 26th. Open to all men of the parish interested in growing in their spiritual life through self discipline.
Our visiting priest, Father Thanh speaks about his childhood and vocational call to the priesthood. How we are called to be children of God and God's love for all of us.
Father Carlson speaks about the importance of God and how others should never come before our relationship with God including our families.
Father Carlson speaks about the Kingdom of Heaven and the desire to store up treasures in Heaven rather than here on earth. Following our Father's will above all else.
Father Carlson speaks about winning the lottery of life. We are to treasure the gift of life and not waste the one we are given.
Deacon Michael Nevins spoke to us about how we are to participate in self reflection and ponder on whom we feel most connected to in this Sunday's Gospel passage.
Father Carlson speaks about Christ's call to surrender everything we have and follow Him.
Father Joseph Nguyễn celebrates a Mass of Thanksgiving on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.
Father Carlson speaks about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and encourages us to use them all throughout our daily lives.
Father speaks about what was deemed unattainable is now made possible by following Christ.
Father Carlson speaks about inviting God into our lives to allow him to give us peace and love.
Father Carlson talks about the Agape Meal for the First Holy Communion students and Jesus' request of Peter.
Father Carlson talks about rejoicing in Jesus. Being prepared to meet Jesus in heaven by taking necessary steps so as not fear meeting him but rejoicing in seeing Him.
Father Carlson shares a personal story of driving through a storm which parallels Jesus' invitation to each one of us to follow him and he will lead us home.
Father Carlson's shares a story of one families extraordinary act of forgiveness and how we too can be instruments of forgiveness towards others.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
This weekend we heard a well-known parable – The Prodigal Son. While many relate to one son more than the other, a constant is the love of the father for his sons – this is how God loves us. God is always there, ready to welcome us back and offering His love wherever we are in life.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
What is repentance? Is it just feeling bad about the things we’ve done wrong? We may feel shame or sadness for our sins, but true repentance changes your heart. It causes you to look at your past sins and be appalled – to never want to commit them again.
How can we each have truly repentant hearts, deeper conversions of our hearts this Lent?
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
If you don’t spend time with someone, how can you grow in relationship with them? This weekend, Fr. Carlson reminds us that spending time with Jesus, growing in relationship with Him, is the best way to spend our time.
Here at St. John’s we are blessed to have an Adoration chapel that is open every day and all are welcome to come visit. Whether you are signed up for an hour or just have a few minutes to stop by during the day, spending time in Adoration is a beautiful devotion.
If you are interested in signing up for an hour or just viewing our schedule, visit https://stjohnthebaptist.weadorehim.com/. Keep an eye out in our communications for more about Adoration here at St. John’s and great resources for adorers!
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
This weekend’s Gospel calls us to self-reflection. Jesus points out that a blind person guiding another blind person doesn’t go well! How often do we point out the faults of others’ and completely ignore or miss our own failings?
As we prepare to enter Lent, how can we allow Christ to heal our blindness? How can we incorporate prayer, fasting, and almsgiving into our lives?
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
Love your enemies? Do good to those who hate you? Today’s Gospel asks a lot of us. We may say we believe in Christ, but do we imitate Him? How often do we love our enemies or think to pray for those who have hurt us? How often do we instead let our anger get the best of us?
Jesus is calling us to imitate Him and live as He lived – loving others, even those who hate us.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
This week we hear a version of The Beatitudes in Luke’s Gospel. They are put a little different than the version we are used to hearing in Matthew’s Gospel. However, they drive home the point that God doesn’t promise blessings/happiness in this world for doing His work, but He does promise blessings/happiness in the next.
If we live only for the things of this world, we will never truly be happy. But if we live for God, we can be happy despite hardships that come our way on this earth and we will be happy in Heaven as well.
How can we detach from worldly desires and better focus on serving God?
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
We hear the story of Peter being called by Christ this weekend. Jesus called a fisherman – someone who may not have been the most educated or qualified in the sight of most people. Yet, God chose to work through this ordinary man. How is God calling each of us and how does He want to work in our own lives?
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
Today, Fr. Carlson zoomed in on the second reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. We all may be familiar with the passage, “Love is patient, love is kind…” However, do we live it out as God calls us to?
God loves us and holds nothing back – Jesus died on the cross and made a total gift of self for us. We are called to accept that total gift of self from God and allow it to transform us and share that agape love with the world.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
We had a visiting priest from Cross Catholic Outreach this weekend - Fr. Bernard Olszewski. He reminded us that we really are all called to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around us. At the end of our life, we will be asked if we fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave water to the thirsty – what will our answer be? How can we help those around us today? One way to help those in poor countries is to learn about and consider donating to Cross Catholic Outreach. In his homily, Fr. Olszewski shared a little bit about how they help the poor around the world and how you can help their mission. To learn more, visit https://crosscatholic.org.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
This week, we heard the story of the Wedding Feast at Cana. This particular Gospel reminds us that Jesus wants to be our bridegroom -- the Church is His bride and we are all members of the Church. He chooses us and we in turn need to choose Him and nurture a relationship with Him by saying "Yes" to Him at every moment.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
This weekend we celebrate Jesus' Baptism - this feast is a wonderful reminder of our own Baptism and the significance of it.
Pretty much all of us know and celebrate our birthday, but how many of us know the date of our Baptism? Our Baptism date really marks the most important day of our lives as it is the day we are made members of Christ's Church - the Catholic Church.
The Catechism states that “Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.” (CCC 1272)
This weekend, we celebrated the feast of the Epiphany – the day the Wise Men arrived and each gave baby Jesus a gift. In his homily, Fr. Carlson shared a recap of a story called “The Other Wise Man”, which was also made into a movie called “The Fourth Wise Man”. The story really asks the question of what can we each give Jesus? We may not have been able to bring a physical gift for His birthday, but what does Jesus really want from each of us as a gift?
This weekend we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family and we are reminded that Jesus has invited us to be a part of His family. We are one family as the Church and we are called to keep Jesus at the center of our lives just as Mary and Joseph kept Jesus at the center of their lives.
Many of us give and receive gifts for Christmas. Some gifts may take a bit more effort to acquire for family/friends than others, but, out of love, we work hard and often go above and beyond to find the gift we know someone else wants. The reward is seeing the joy it brings them.
We can get lost in how busy Christmas has become, but it's important to remember the biggest and best gift we receive at Christmas – Jesus Christ. God saw what we most needed and freely gave us His own son to save us. This amazing gift is what we celebrate every year at Christmas.
This past weekend, we heard in the Gospel of Luke the story of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. Even though Mary had just conceived Jesus in her womb and probably had a lot on her mind, her first thought was to serve. She didn't think of herself, she thought first of her cousin Elizabeth and hastened to go help her in anyway she could.
Everyone has likely experienced coming to the end of their rope, or at least close to it, at some point in life. When we think we have nothing left to give, that is when we can especially turn to Jesus and trust He will provide the grace we need to keep giving.
What if we all had child-like excitement when going to Confession? What if we trusted God, trusted in His love and mercy, so greatly that we joyfully and frequently went to Confession? Some do regularly frequent the Sacrament of Confession, but there are also many who do not. As we prepare for Jesus' birth, we are reminded how much we need God. We all needed Jesus to come to Earth to redeem us from our sins. Out of His great love for us, Jesus came to Earth, died on the cross, and rose again from the dead. Sometimes we forget how much God loves us and that the Sacrament of Confession is a gift from God given out of love. We all turn away from God at times and Confession allows us to turn back to God and experience the love, mercy and peace He offers.
We are now in the second week of Advent and continuing to prepare for Christ's birth. But how do we do this? Well, one important way is to clear a path in our lives for the Lord. We need to invite Him in and make room - make God a priority. How can we invite God into our lives daily?
Advent is a time of preparing for Christ’s birth and this weekend’s Gospel also calls us to be prepared for Christ’s second coming. Would we be ready if Christ came today? It's a good question to ask ourselves, especially during this time of Advent.
This weekend was the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Father Carlson shared a bit about the history of this great solemnity which was added to the Church calendar in just the last 100 years. The day is especially a good reminder that no matter what may be going on in the world or in our lives, Christ is King and we can place our trust in Him.
This week, the Gospel talks about the end times. It's a good reminder that we need to be ready to meet God at all times - we don't know the hour of the second coming or how long we have on this earth for that matter. So how are we living our lives? Are we putting God at the center or is He just something we try to fit in when we have time? Do we give God our first fruits or just whatever we have leftover?
How hard is it to give from our livelihood versus from our excess? Do we give generously and trust God will provide or do we only give when we know we won't really even notice that the money is gone? The woman in the Gospel today gave all she could in her poverty - it was hardly anything monetarily, but it was of far greater value than what others gave from their excess. How can we be generous with the gifts God has given us?
As humans, we can often get bogged down in the details. Navigating life as a Catholic can be hard and seem complicated, but Jesus told us how to live our lives, He showed us by His example. This week, Jesus tells us the greatest commandments and these two commandments really encapsulate the Ten Commandments.
Discerning a vocation can seem daunting. Many may think the call to something like priesthood or religious life is too high or too much is expected, but Father reminds us this week that Jesus called imperfect humans to follow Him. Each time a priest offers the Mass it is both for the people and himself – priests are imperfect humans just like anyone else. We all need Jesus and need to discern how God is calling us to serve Him with our lives.
How do you turn to God in prayer? Do you spill your whole heart, holding nothing back, confidently trusting that God will listen and understand everything you are going through? Fr. Carlson reminds us in his homily this week that God wants us to turn to him and that Jesus humbled Himself to the point of taking on human form and experienced many struggles on this earth just as we do. We can turn to God with confidence knowing His great love for us and that He understands what it’s like to be human.
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). How often do we ask the Lord that question? Do we ever ask Him what we personally must do to inherit eternal life? The Gospel today calls us to reflect on where we are placing our trust – Do we trust in God or in earthly things and our own abilities?
Divorce in our current culture is common, but this week we are reminded that from the beginning of creation it was not so. Marriage is meant to be lifelong and the Catholic Church is one of the few faiths that teaches of its permanence.
God is greatly merciful, but this week's Gospel reminds us that we need to choose God, choose His mercy. How can we keep God at the center of our lives and choose Him daily?
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/19/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
It's so easy to get caught up in the comparison game. Even the disciples were called out on that in today's Gospel! This is a good reminder to put things in their proper order.
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/12/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
Today's Gospel from Mark is really a turning point. We see that the apostles recognize Jesus as the Christ, the long-awaited Savior. To be a Christian is more than just saying you believe in Christ, but also to taking up your cross and following Him. We pray for the strength to do that!
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/5/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
God often puts people in our lives to assist us when we need. In today's Gospel reading, a deaf man's friends helped him get to Jesus to be healed.
In reflecting on our lives, when has there been a time when God put someone in your path to assist you? When have you helped someone else? We pray that we can be open to God's will and be thankful for when He provides for us.
Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 8/29/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
In today's Gospel reading from Mark chapter 7, the Pharisees challenge Jesus about washing and purification before meals. Jesus' response is that sin is what really defiles us and separates us from God the Father.
When we go to God and ask for mercy and forgiveness from our sins, He will answer AND give us the grace we need.
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time 8/22/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
For the past 5 weeks, we have been reading from John 6. We conclude this Bread of Life discourse today with a teaching that is very difficult for the Jewish people of the time to accept. Jesus will Himself be the sacrificial lamb - given for all so that we might have eternal life.
For further reading, check out some of the writings by Pope St. Pius X on the Eucharist.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 8/15/22 - Fr. Carlson homily
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us imitate her "yes" to the Lord and let Him transform us too. Our goal in life is heaven and eternal life with God the Father.
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8/8/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The Mass readings for today are so rich in meaning as we look at Elijah in the first reading referencing how our ancestors spent 40 years in the dessert - to the Gospel where Jesus reveals Himself being the Bread of Life. We invite you to reflect upon these readings found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080821.cfm
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8/1/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
Imagine if you committed to an hour each week in adoration with the Lord. What if every parishioner took an hour? What a transformation that would be!
In 1993, St. John's began offering adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We have a beautiful Adoration Chapel and we are blessed to be able to offer perpetual adoration 24/7. We invite you to sign up for an hour online here: https://stjohnthebaptist.weadorehim.com/
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7/25/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
Today's Gospel is taken from John 6 - the beginning of the Bread of Life discourse. Jesus feeds 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Jesus can work miracles! No matter what little we have, let us offer even our crumbs for Him to take and transform. We just need to give it over to Him freely.
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7/18/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
In today's Gospel (Mk 6:30-34) Jesus can see that the apostles are tired and need rest. We all need to get away at times and let our minds be quiet. In this silence we can be renewed and refreshed as let ourselves focus on God in prayer.
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7/4/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
All of the readings today have a common theme - rejection. The prophets, Jesus and the apostles were all rejected by people. Living the Christian life isn't easy but it IS worth it.
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time 6/13/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The Gospel reading for today tells 2 parables - both dealing with being a patient farmer while watching crops grow. In the first parable, the farmer must wait for the harvest. In the second parable, we hear how the Kingdom of Heaven is like a very tiny mustard seed that grows and spreads!
The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ 6/6/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
What a beautiful solemnity! Today we celebrate the most Holy Body & Blood of Christ. The Gospel today is so rich in tradition! As Catholic Christians, the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. Please take a moment to really reflect on today's readings.
The Most Holy Trinity Sunday 5/30/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The Holy Trinity - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - are still a mystery, but God reveals Himself to us through:
- Scripture
- Teachings and traditions of the Church
- Time in prayer
Let us make it a priority to spend time with Him.
Pentecost Sunday 5/23/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
Today we celebrate Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came not just for the apostles but for the whole world! This is a big deal. Our advocate is still with us - we just need to open our hearts and trust in Him.
Ascension of the Lord 5/16/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
This weekend we celebrate both the Ascension of the Lord AND the confirmation of our 10th graders. The Gospel reading from Mark 16 is really fitting for confirmation as Jesus tells His disciples to go out and proclaim the gospel to every creature. This is what we are called to do as Christians. Let us pray for the newly confirmed members of our church!
Sixth Sunday of Easter 5/9/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
What a beautiful Gospel reading for Mother's Day! An acronym for JOY is Jesus, Ourselves, Others. The saints are great examples of living their lives this way - and in this order! St. Gianna Molla is a perfect example of a mother's love as we share her story on this Mother's Day.
Fifth Sunday of Easter 5/2/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
What a beautiful reading to have this weekend for First Communion!
Let's dive into this Gospel reading and reflect on the ways to remain in Him.
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing."
Fourth Sunday of Easter 4/25/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. We hear from the readings about the Good Shepherd. The Church has also made this day the World Day of Prayer for Vocations which ties in perfectly as we think about how our priests/pastors lead us. Let us pray for all priests and religious!
Third Sunday of Easter 4/18/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
What a beautiful second reading from 1 Jn 2:1-5a. The early Christians were being baptized and asking how they are supposed to live their lives. St. Paul reassures them that Jesus is their advocate who will give them grace. Please take a moment to reflect upon this reading and pray to let Him be present in your lives.
Second Sunday of Easter 4/11/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The Gospel reading for this Second Sunday of Easter is SO encouraging! The disciples were afraid and locked themselves in the upper room. *Do you ever feel afraid to go to God?
Jesus responds by saying, "Peace be with you..." He has infinite love and mercy for us. Let us not be afraid to go to Him.
Easter Sunday 4/4/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The Lord is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! We celebrate Christ's victory over death!
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord 3/28/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
As we enter into Holy Week, let us reflect on today's second reading from Phil 2:6-11. We invite you to spend some time with that passage this week as we recall the last supper, venerate the cross and celebrate the resurrection in this holy week.
Fifth Sunday of Lent 3/21/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
Let us stop and take a moment in prayer to really look upon the crucifix
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to see how Jesus took on the sin and suffering of the whole world
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to see all He endured (being mocked, ridiculed, beaten) and still saying, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.”
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to experience the love He has for us
In today’s Gospel, we hear that Jesus knew all that was about to happen and willingly takes on this suffering out of love for us.
Fourth Sunday of Lent 3/14/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
The readings today are so rich in meaning! In our Gospel we hear the often-quoted John 3:16. Let's dive deeper into the text that comes right before that which references Numbers 21:4-9. This is all about the love the Father has for us.
Third Sunday of Lent 3/7/21 - Fr. Carlson Homily
In today's Gospel we read of Jesus driving people out of the temple area because they made it a marketplace. Let us reflect on that today in our own lives - what can we cast out (get rid of) in order to purify our souls? We encourage you to go to the sacrament of confession often! We have added confession times this Lent including all day March 13th from 8:30am-4:30pm and again from 7:00-8:30pm. Please check our website for more times www.stjohns-excelsior.org
Second Sunday of Lent 2/28/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
On this second Sunday of Lent, our Gospel passage is the Transfiguration. Right away, you know something special is going to happen when Jesus takes Peter, James and John up the mountain. Jesus reveals His divinity when He becomes dazzling white!
First Sunday of Lent 2/21/21 - Fr. Carlson homily
Today's readings are rich in salvation history! Every first Sunday of Lent begins with the reading of Jesus being tempted in the desert for 40 days. We pray that we can enter into this time of temptation and repentance and that we may grow closer to God through it!
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2/14/21 - Fr. Carlson Homily
The second reading today comes from the Letter from Saint Paul to the Corinthians. (1 Cor 10:31—11:1). In this reading Paul says, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
How did Paul live his life? He healed the sick in Jesus's name. He led people to Christ. He was martyred. We end with a beautiful prayer by Saint John Gabriel Perboyre that we may be imitators of Christ.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2/7/21 – Fr. Carlson Homily
In the Gospels we often read that Jesus went off to pray. If the Son of God made prayer a priority, then we should too! God wants to have a relationship with us and in order to do that, we must spend time with Him.
If we can challenge ourselves to commit to 15 minutes of quiet prayer each day (regardless of age or vocation) then this will improve our relationship with Him. Set a time and a place for prayer and this can become a good way to experience peace, healing and comfort.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 1/31/21 – Fr. Carlson homily
We read in today's Gospel from Mark 1:21-28 about Jesus beginning His public ministry. He is establishing a new covenant (a new teaching), and He is recognized by all as one having authority. Fr. Carlson digs deeper into this reading.
We also celebrate the beginning of Catholic Schools Week. We hear in today's homily about the history of St. John's School and we thank you, the parishioners, for your support of the school over the years! What a beautiful gift we have!
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 1/24/21 – Fr. Campbell homily
Thank you to Fr. Campbell for celebrating Mass with us this weekend!
The Gospel reading today is from Mk 1:14-20. It's all about putting "things" in their proper order. These things can be good gifts from God but we don't want them to become an obstacle in our relationship with God.
Exultemus January 9, 2021
January is a time of fresh starts, but sometimes we bite off more than we can chew! Check out the story that Kari Hoeft shares with us about Saint Maximilian Kolbe.
Exultemus December 5, 2020
At our monthly Exutlemus Praise & Worship nights, we also have a brief reflection. This month, Fr. Carlson reflects on the Year of St. Joseph.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 1/17/21 - Fr. Carlson Homily
Who were Jesus's disciples? They were sinners - broken people. But they were created in the image and likeness of God.
Look at the saints and how God worked through their brokenness. They had open, teachable hearts and responded to His call.
Let us pray to have the same response as Samuel from the 1st reading today. “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
The Baptism of the Lord 1/10/21 – Fr. Carlson homily
Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. (Check out Father Carlson's bulletin article this week for more information about the Baptismal Font and its significance. http://www.stjohns-excelsior.org/Portals/0/1_10_21.pdf).
We hear the words from Mark 1:11 “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” This message is for us as well! By our baptism, we are children of God, made clean of original sin.
To end, let us pray today for our nation and also for ourselves, that we can be a light to the darkness.
Epiphany of the Lord 1/3/21 – Fr. Carlson Homily
Tradition says that it would have been a dangerous and difficult 2-year journey for the magi to make their way to find Jesus. They were overjoyed to come adore Him! Sometimes we might get discouraged on our journey but we can experience true joy when we encounter Him.
When we come to Mass we give Him homage and present our gifts to Him - as the magi did. What God really wants is us. This Epiphany, let us be like the magi and offer ourselves to our King.
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God 1/1/21 – Fr. Carlson Homily
Today we ask in a special way for Mary's intercession in our lives and for 2021. Fr. Carlson shares his personal experience of receiving true peace from Mary's intercession. She is always there for us! Let us pray: Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Feast of the Holy Family 12/27/20 - Fr. Carlson homily
On this Feast of the Holy Family, we look at the second reading and can use this as a framework on how to emulate the Holy Family.
"Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection." Col 3:12-14
Love is the bond of perfection. As frustrated as we can be with each other at times, let the bond of love perfect us as we put Christ at the center.
Nativity of the Lord 12/25/20 - Fr. Carlson homily
As we celebrate the Nativity of the Lord, the birth of Christ our Savior, the light in the darkness - we let Him transform our hearts. This is truly the greatest gift for humanity and reason to celebrate. We know this world will end and we look forward to eternal life with Him.
Fourth Sunday of Advent 12/20/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
Fr. Carlson breaks down the readings from this Fourth Sunday of Advent in a beautiful explanation. Imagine being a 1st century Jew and hearing that this long-awaited covenant is being fulfilled and the joy you would experience! Let us too experience that joy as we celebrate that our Savior has come.
Third Sunday of Advent 12/13/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
In today's readings, we hear that God's will for us is to: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. Wow - how do we do that?! How do we rejoice when times are tough? How do we pray when we are busy? Well, we are called to have a relationship with God. In that relationship comes communication - prayer. Let us call God to mind in all things we do.
Second Sunday of Advent 12/6/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
During this Advent season we hear about making straight the path of the Lord. That is what confession does for us! It makes our path to the Lord straight.
Every Mass we hear: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Let Him! Let's knock down those walls of sin. Once we get a small hole in a wall, God can work miracles!
Please take this opportunity to go to the sacrament of confession to experience the grace, healing and love of God.
First Sunday of Advent 11/29/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
On this First Sunday of Advent, we read from Mark's Gospel about how we must be watchful and alert. We have this gift of Advent to help us be prepared when He comes! Let's make the most of this time and not waste it.
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 11/22/20 – Fr. Tollefson homily
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Thank you to Fr. Tollefson for visiting St. John's this weekend and giving us some great words of wisdom. The experiences we have in our lives often shape how we see God. Do we just know ABOUT God or do we KNOW God? Please take some time in silence and prayer (maybe even in retreat) to really experience His love for you.
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 11/8/20 – Fr. Gjengdahl Homily
Fr. Nels Gjengdahl has a great perspective on the Parable of the Talents. We make choices all day long - big, small, visible, mental choices. We may say to ourselves that we're not bad people; we don't do bad things. But what we SHOULD be asking ourselves is what GOOD are we doing? How are we sharing the talents and gifts God has given us? Are we leading others to Christ? Let us take time this week to reflect and pray - to turn our hearts and minds to God.
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 11/8/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
Everyone wants to be happy - that's just how we were made. Unfortunately, studies show that depression is skyrocketing in our country. We are made in the image and likeness of God so it makes sense that true happiness/fulfillment/joy can only come from Him.
Fr. Robert Spitzer is a Jesuit priest, speaker and author who has written on this subject of happiness (he even had a debate with Stephen Hawking on the existence of God). Fr. Spitzer identifies 4 levels of happiness that Fr. Carlson will break down in today's homily. We take a look at these four levels of where to find TRUE JOY and fulfillment
- Ultimate Good - Enduring
- Contribution - Long term
- Achievement - Short term
- Pleasure - Immediate
Solemnity of All Saints 11/1/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
On this Solemnity of All Saints, we look to all the saints in heaven who inspire us and intercede for us. It's great to see their example of how they lived their lives and turned to God. Today we hear about Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Father McGivney and their great witness of charity and faith!
We ask all the saints to pray for us!
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time 10/25/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
What is the greatest commandment? Who is my neighbor? What's the meaning of life?
When we take a step back (like covid has forced us to do), we have time to reflect, examine and contemplate life. During the shut down, did you feel an increased need for God? Did you long to receive the Eucharist?
We hope you have found St. John's Catholic Parish to be a place of light and refuge during this time! A place to experience God's love. And we hope to continue to offer ways to support you in your faith journey. On this Stewardship Sunday, please complete your pledge card so we can budget our ministries for this next year!
Belonging to God
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time 10/18/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
In today's Gospel from Matthew 22, the Pharisees are trying to entrap Jesus - which is never a good idea. His reply is very insightful - "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." What belongs to God? We do! We are made in His image and likeness - we bear the image of the Divine Emperor.
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time 10/11/20 – Fr. Riley homily
Thank you to Fr. Riley Durkin for returning this weekend to celebrate Masses with us! Congratulations on your ordination and we wish you all the best in the Fargo Diocese!
Fr. Riley gives a great explanation of today's Gospel reading from Matthew. We have received an invitation to the banquet of the Eucharist. Mass is just a preview of the banquet of eternal life we have been called to. How will we respond?
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time 10/4/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
All of the readings today are rich in meaning! Let's dig in and look at the parable in the Gospel passage from Matthew. We have the landowner (God), the vineyard (the House of Israel), and the servants (prophets). Can you imagine the landowner sending even more servants and even his own son to be treated this way?! But that is how much God wants us to choose the kingdom of heaven.
Let us pray that we may choose to accept this great invitation from the Lord to work in His vineyard, to bear fruit, and to gain eternal life.
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/27/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
We continue on in Matthew's Gospel and can see a common theme - God's mercy and forgiveness. This makes sense given that Matthew was a tax collector (a sinner) and experienced God's mercy firsthand. God WANTS to be merciful - if we just TRY to turn away from sin. A great example of this was Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang who was addicted to opium even when he died! There is always hope! Saint Mark Ji, pray for us!
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/20/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
Today's Gospel is only found in Matthew's Gospel (so we only hear it once every three years). But when we do hear it, we usually always have the same response - that's not fair! Why would a laborer who only worked for one hour get paid the same as someone who had been there since 6 am?! But God is ALWAYS generous and merciful to EVERYONE with the gift of eternal life! When we dig deeper into this scripture passage, we know that we can't receive MORE than the gift of eternal life. Let us REJOICE in God's mercy and RESPOND to His invitation today.
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/13/20 – Fr. Carlson homily
In today's Gospel from Matthew 18 we continue on in this discourse between Jesus and His disciples. Peter asks how many times he must forgive someone. Jesus really puts His answer into perspective! Can you imagine owing someone trillions of dollars (or 60 million days of wages) and being forgiven that debt?! But then how does this forgiven person act when HIS servant owes him a MUCH smaller amount (100 days wages)? Hmmm I think we can relate to BOTH situations in this story. We are called to forgive one another as God has forgiven us.
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 9/6/20
All of the readings today have a common theme - what it means to love someone and how to give/receive correction. It is difficult to correct someone and sometimes even MORE difficult to be corrected. True friendship (and brotherly love) is the ability to care so much for someone that you want to see them in heaven. So let us pray that we not harden our hearts but rather to receive correction and repent of our sin.
Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 16:21-27 is quite the contrast from last week. Jesus rebukes Peter for being a stumbling block to God's will. Peter was thinking as a human - and who can blame him? I think we can all relate to that. Who voluntarily signs up for suffering?!
Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ. Being a Christian, a follower of Christ, means that we must lose our life in order to gain eternity with God. And it is very much worth it!
If you have ever been asked about why the Catholic Church has a pope, then listen up to the Biblical tradition in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah (Is 22:19-23) and the Gospel reading from Matthew (16:13-20). It's all right here - the "office" of the position, the succession, the authority, and even the renaming of Peter. Let us pray for our Holy Father and his role to lead us closer to God.
Today's Gospel can seem a bit harsh. A Canaanite woman asks for Jesus' help and He ignores her at first! What we can learn from Him testing her faith is her example of persistence and patience. Can you relate to God not always answering your requests in YOUR time frame? We should be as ready to receive what the Lord has for us with a simple prayer like hers - Lord, help me.
In today's Gospel, we hear the conclusion of Matthew 13 in which we hear three different accounts of what the kingdom of heaven is like. It is a treasure, a pearl - something that we long for! But we must give up things we are attached to in order to attain this great treasure. Listen as Fr. Carlson reads part of the very inspirational book "The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith" and let your heart be transformed!