The saint we celebrate today is St John of Capistrano. His Spanish name is San Juan Capistrano. There is a mission named after him in Southern California in Orange County, founded by the Franciscan missionaries from Spain who brought the Catholic faith to the native people of California. John of Capistrano was born in Italy in the late 14th century. He was imprisoned during a war with a neighboring town. After his release from a lengthy imprisonment, he entered the Franciscan community in Perugia in Italy. After his ordination to the priesthood, he preached in countries all over Europe, including Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia. Through his preaching, John tried to unify the Christians throughout Europe. It is around this date, October 23, that the swallows leave the mission as they make their way down to Argentina to leave the upcoming winter weather of the northern hemisphere. They faithfully return to the mission in southern California in the middle of March.
In the Gospel today, Jesus tells us that we do not know the hour in which the son of God will return, so we always need to be prepared. We never know where our journey through life will take us. May we be prepared no matter where we are on that journey.
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