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St. John the Baptist R. C. Church895 Piermont Avenue, Piermont, New York 10968 www.stjohnspiermont.orgadmin@stjohnspiermont.org 845-359-0078Rev. Tom Kunnel, C.O.MASSESAdministratorSaturday: 5:00 PMfrtomkunnel@gmail.comSunday: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AMDeacon John Cunningham1:00 PM (Spanish)Deacon Robert PangWeekdays: 8:00 AMSaturday:Kathleen Dunn9:00 AMHoly Days: As AnnouncedReligious Education DirectorRectoryMay PangMon – Fri 10:15 AM – 4:00 PMParish Admin: admin@stjohnspiermont.orgSat 10 AM – 12 AM (Spanish)July Sponsor: Greg & Patty McKillopIn Memory ofBetty & Bud SedlackDOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP ‘ST JOHN PIERMONT’

5:00 PMMadeline RispoliBy Joe & Laurie Rispoli8:00 AMWilliam Bennett By St. John10:30 AMMichael & Mary McLaughlinBy Armstrong FamilyMon 7/98:00 AMHarry Gibbs by Connie LynchTue8:00 AMLouis Brardi By Connie Lynch8:00 AMJohn LuckieBy David & Elaine KurlandSatSun7/77/87/10Wed 7/11Thu7/128:00 AMHarry GibbsBy Dcn Rob & May PangFri7/138:00 AMIntentions of Lady of FatimaBy Nijole ParonettoSat7/14Sun 7/159:00 AMElizabeth CartwrightBy Theresa O'Dowd5:00 PMVanek & Utchel FamiliesBy Mildred Oslica8:00 AMTheresa ManniBy Linda & Tony D'Alleva10:30 AMMary Bridget McDonnellBy James McDonnellTHE SANCTUARY LAMPIs Being Offered this week forLady of Fatima –Pray the Rosary for conversion of sinnersReq by Janet ZahnPlease remember in your prayers the Sick and/or Homebound of our Parish Family. ThomasMooney, Molly Robinson Cameron Robinson, RonRebers, Anne Bazala, Helen Koza, Madlen Moson,Marge Culletto, Bill Loftus, Carolyn, Margaret O’Brien , Elaine Laurino,Dear Parish Family,In the 8th century before Christ's birth, Isaiahprophesied that "a shoot will spring from thestem of Jesse, and a branch from his rootswill bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1). The word"branch" in Hebrew is netzer, the same root word from which thename "Nazareth" comes. Some historians have suggested that Nazarethwas named as "the town of the branch," meaning "the place where theBranch of David lives." In 538 BC, King Cyrus of Persia decreed thatthe Jews exiled in Babylon should be allowed to return to Judea, a process that continued for the next 400-500 years. Around 100 BC, oneclan from the line of David returned to Israel and established the townof Nazareth. They preferred to begin life in Nazareth away from theDavid’s capital Jerusalem or birthplace Bethlehem, to avoid suspicionany one from their clan was aspiring to the throne of David, now occupied by new non-Davidic dynasty, the Hasmoneans.Imagine Jesus returning to his village after many months of absence,during which a lot of reports had reached Nazareth about the turning ofwater into wine at Cana (probably some of them will have witnessedthat first hand), miracles and cures at Capernaum (20 miles away).Nazareth might had a population of around 200 persons, who wouldhave been related to Jesus through family ties. Their familiarity withJesus deprived them of the sense of wonder to discover the ‘prophet,priest and king’ in their midst and would not dare to attribute any semblance to ‘divinity’ to their own kith and kin.Mark recounts two major setbacks at this event: Jesus is unable to perform any miracles and he is amazed that his own people lacked faithwhich was essential for any miracle to happen. This event has a deepsignificance for us who might be tempted to deride the sensibility ofthe Nazareth folk. Our Catholic Catechism explains the meaning of theword “faith” as a personal act—the free response of the human personto the initiative of God who reveals himself (Catechism, 166).So faith refers to an interaction between oneself and Jesus, a relationship steeped in trust and love. If a husband says to his wife, “I havefaith in you,” and if he means it, and if his wife says the same, thenthey are working toward real love. The same goes for the faith we aretalking about here. The deepest meaning of faith is this: to have a mutual relationship with God. That is, to receive God's love and respondto it. A failure in faith is like closing or even locking the doors to ourhearts. If this makes some sense to you, then you will see why Jesussaid “your faith has saved you.” If faith is a word for a person's relationto Jesus, the curing happens because they have a real, bilateral relationship in trust and love.As a Parish Family, let us remember in our prayersall our beloved departed members of our ParishCommunity, Francis X. Mascola, father of TedMascola, Lisa Cannava, Elaine Morrissey, motherof John Morrissey, Javier Monzon, AntoinetteGalella, Ted Simone’s aunt, Clarita Silva, mother ofFreida Soriano, Kevin Ramsay, son of RichardRamsay, Charles Pane, John Set, uncle of DcnRob, Mark Pietro, Charles Smith, brother of KathrynSmith, Sue Ann Esposito, Eileen Carley, MarieBerardi, Louis Berardi, John Luckie, Evelyn Wenke-Daly, sister of Carol Gibbs, Harry GibbsJesus was amazed at his village’s lack of faith. His relationship to thepeople of his home town seems to have been a non-relationship. Hecould not force the two-way bond called “faith” upon them. He offeredit, they refused. No wonder he could not “perform any mighty deedthere.” Do we pray for miracles? May be we need to work on our relation with our God so that we are ready for miracles.,PLEASE ADVISE THE RECTORY (359-0078) WHENEVER A PARISHIONER BECOMES HOMEBOUND, ILL, OR HOSPITALIZED SO ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR A PRIEST, DEACON OR EUCHARISTICMINISTER TO VISIT AND BRING COMMUNION TO THEM.Fr. Tom Kunnel. C.O.

Sun11:30AM Legion of Mary7PMAA Meeting8-JulSaturday will be the feast of the often overlooked Native American SaintKateri Tekakwitha - Lily of the Mohawks.Mon 9-JulTues 10-JulWed 11-JulThu12-JulFri13-JulSat14-Jul7PMAltar Server Prep7PMSpanish Preachers Meeting7PMCatholic Daughter Meeting7PMBaptism Prep1:30PMPiermont Sr Meeting7PMAmigos de Jesus Choir Practice7PMMesajeros de Jesus Chour Practice10AMFri Renew Group7PMSpanish Prayer Meeting1PMSpanish WeddingShe was born in upstate New York near Auriesville in 1656. Her parents died in a smallpox epidemic when she was only fouryears. Kateri, herself suffered severe scarring and near blindness from the disease. She was baptized into the CatholicChurch and spent the remainder of her shortlife as a most devoted young woman.Kateri is the patroness of a number of causesincluding ecology, people in exile, NativeAmericans, loss of parents and peace.An inspiring trip for you and your childrenthis summer could be to the Mohawk Valleywhere there are two shrines devoted to ourfellow New Yorker. Kateri's National Shrine isin Fonda, New York which is run by Fransiscan Friars and the shrine inAuriesville which is administered by the Jesuits.May God bless you all and thank you for being the best role models foryour children by making mass attendance a priority for your family.Readings No. 89314th Sunday in Ordinary TimeOn Smart TV or Computer go to the Link on WWW.STJOHNSPIERMONT.ORG n ‘ROKU’ Select “SUNDAY STREAMS” Select the Channel “STJOHNPIERMONT”On Smart Phone—Down load the Free App ‘st john piermont’ and link is under ‘Faith”Live Stream today, Sunday July 14 at 10.30 AMLiturgy Schedule July 14, 15TimeSaturday7/14Lector5:00 PMOscar Nordstrom8:00 AM10:30 AMLisa McKennaJonathan FanningEucharistic MinisterLynne DennerleinMarge OlsenSunday7/1511:30 PMMicaelina MaldonadoYuli MazariegoDavid NovaDayana MzariegoMarleni LemusAltar ServersAishling CavanaughPatrick CavanaughDrew DillonKaren UmanaGabriela GonzalezLinda Flores

TODAY'S READINGSOBSTACLESThe prophet Ezekiel, Saint Paul, and the Lord Jesusshare something in common in today's scripturereadings. They all experience obstacles to their ministry. Ezekiel is summoned to prophesy to the Israelites, who are "[h]ard of face and obstinate ofheart" (Ezekiel 2:4). Saint Paul recounts how he hasbeen given a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians12:7). The Lord Jesus is unable to perform manysigns in his native place. The Gospel tells us that"[he] was amazed at their lack of faith" (Mark 6:6).We too sometimes encounter obstacles as we travelalong the journey of faith. So often we experienceweakness on this journey. Let the words of the Lordto Saint Paul encourage us today: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).TODAY’S READINGSFirst Reading -- They shall know that a prophet hasbeen among them (Ezekiel 2:2-5).Psalm -- Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleadingfor his mercy (Psalm 123).Second Reading -- I am content with weaknessesand hardships for the sake of Christ (2 Corinthians12:7-10).Gospel -- The people said: "Where did this man getall this? Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?"(Mark 6:1-6).READINGS FOR THE WEEKMonday: Hos 2:16, 17b-18, 21-22; Ps 145:2-9; Mt 9:18-26Tuesday: Hos 8:4-7, 11-13; Ps 115:3-10; Mt 9:32-38Wednesday: Hos 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Ps 105:2-7; Mt 10:1-7Thursday: Hos 11:1-4, 8c-9; Ps 80:2ac, 3b, 15-16; Mt 10:7-15Friday: Hos 14:2-10; Ps 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-14, 17; Mt 10:16-23Saturday: Is 6:1-8; Ps 93:1-2, 5; Mt 10:24-33Sunday: Am 7:12-15; Ps 85:9-14; Eph 1:3-14 [3-10]; Mk 6:7-137/1 Will be reportednext weekWill be reported next weekMost of us know the old definition of an “expert”: anyonewho comes from more than fifty miles away. By now, therequirement must be five hundred miles. We seem to havea problem with closeness, with the ordinary, with the everyday.Expertise is most respected when it comes from a distance.Prophetic gifts as well. Prophets are best when they are faraway and long ago. Here and now is a different story.“Surely she cannot be a prophet. I went to school withher.” “He cannot prophesy; I know his mother.” “That guycannot be a source of grace and joy to others; I’ve beenwith him in community for years. He tells terrible jokesand wears cufflinks.” Is this why no one is a hero to one’sown valet?We reject not only the prophets around us. We reject theprophet within. This is the repression of the prophetic andheroic impulse of that person who is most ordinary andfamiliar to us: one’s very self. The reason we reject ourown heroic and prophetic possibilities, if we are honestwith ourselves, is that we know how weak and inadequatewe are.Surely a hero cannot be lurking behind such common talent, such ordinary appearance. Surely a prophet’s life isnot marked by failures and frailties such as ours. St. Paul,it seems, was also hounded by the thought of his inadequacy. He begged—three times—that God would remove the“thorn in his flesh.” The prayer seems not to have beenanswered. But if, like him, we learn to be “content withour weakness, for the sake of Christ,” we may one day findourselves unleashed, our hearts emboldened, our wordsfirm and free. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Ifthat is the case, all prophecy, like all politics, is local.John Kavanaugh, SJ

The origin of the word Nazareth (Natzrat or Natzeret in Hebrew; al-Naseriyye in Arabic) dates back to the meaning of"to flower" “branch” but also means "to keep watch". The geographical location of this city in Lower Galilee confirms itsrole as an observation point. Nazareth is located along the most southern side of the hilly area that descends from Lebanon, at an elevated position above the opposed plain of Jezreel, the valley mentioned several times in the Bible and alsoknown by its Greek name Esdrelon, that is about 350 metres above sea level.However, for centuries Nazareth has resided in the hearts of pilgrims and travellers as "the flower of Galilee", holdingthe memory of the dialogue between the archangel Gabriel and Mary. By saying "yes" the young woman transformed theunknown village to the location of "here the Word became flesh", of the Son of God who became man, with the fruit ofthe Virgin’s breast that became flower, as proclaimed Bernardo di Chiaravalle in his comment about the mystery of Nazareth.