“The differences in the characters of man and woman have their roots in creation. Man is made by God; woman is made by God from man.

As God is present at the creation of the world, so man is present, though in ecstasy, at the creation of the woman. The immediacy and the mediacy of the origin of the two sexes are mirrored forth in their differences.

Man, coming directly from God, has initiative, power and origin. Woman, coming from God through the ecstasy of man, has intuition, response, acceptance, submission, and cooperation.

Man lives more in the external world, because made from the earth and closest to it; it is his mission to rule over it and subject it. Woman lives more in the internal world, because she was created from an inner, human life.

Man is more interested in the outer world; woman in the inner world. Man talks about things; woman more about persons. Man fashions products of the earth; woman fashions life, having come from life, both Divine and human. Man, more related to the earth, makes sacrifices for things that are in the future and are abstract; woman, more related to the human, is more inclined to make sacrifices for persons and for that which is immediate.

Because more objective, man is inclined to give reasons for what he loves and for what he does; woman, being more subjective and having issued form the human, is more inclined to love just for love’s sake. Man’s reasons for loving are because of the qualities and attributes of the beloved. Man builds, invents, conquers; woman tends, devotes, interiorizes.

The man gives; the woman is a gift.”

An excerpt from Three to Get Married, by Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“The doctor should not meddle. The right of the child is equal to the right of the mother’s life. The doctor can’t decide; it is a sin to kill in the womb.”

“If you must choose between me and the baby, no hesitation; I choose – and I demand it – the baby. Save her!”

- St. Gianna Beretta Molla

St. Gianna Beretta Molla was an Italian pediatrician, wife, and mother. She is best known for her heroic choice in refusing both an abortion and a hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child. She knew that continuing with the pregnancy could result in her death. And it did. She made the ultimate sacrifice and died a week after giving birth to her fourth child. Her daughter was the first person to ever attend the canonization of their own mother.

Editor’s Note: Can you see the truth through the Religion vs. Jesus debate? We’re praying for you as you talk about this issue and the viral video with your friends. We loved how well Peter Kreeft articulates this question about “church” in his book Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about what Really Matters. Here is the truth, boiled down to the basics without any fancy distractions.

“What’s the Big Deal about Church?

Why is she so important?

Because she is how we know Jesus. She tells us (by her teaching), shows us (by her saints) and feeds us (by her sacraments).

Why is Jesus so important?

Because He is how we know God. He told us, showed us, and fed us.

Why is God so important?

Because He is how we know love. He IS love.

Why is love so important?

Because it’s how we know happiness.

Without love, our happiness is not true happiness.
Without God, our love is not true love.
Without Jesus, our God is not the true God.
Without the Church, our Jesus is not the true Jesus.”

- Peter Kreeft, Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about what Really Matters

“Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day, even every moment in the interior temple of your spirit, remaining like a baby in the bosom of the heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ.”

- St. Paul of the Cross

Editor’s Note: The Feast of the Three Kings is January 6th. This year however, since it falls on a Friday, it is being celebrated Sunday the 8th.

I was the kid who knew Santa was real but I never had pictures with him. This was not because my parents were against the jolly man, but it was because I had pictures with other Christmas characters instead.

Instead of pictures of me crying on Santa’s Lap, I sat sobbing on one of three overdressed guys’ laps. Sound awkward? It was. You know exactly what I’m talking about though if you celebrate ‘El Día de los Tres Reyes’ (Three Kings Day). Those guys were dressed as the Magi. (My childhood anxiety – whose lap do I sit on?)

In some cultures Christmas is reserved for prayer, and Three Kings Day is when gifts are received and exchanged. The tradition was that since they brought gifts to Jesus, we would get three gifts from them on the morning of January 6th (under our beds and only if we left grass and water for the camels outside . . . of course.)

I didn’t understand why they simply didn’t place my gifts in a box and ship it. It would have saved them time and the hassle of having to ride camels through my neighborhood. (Keep in mind, I believed reindeer could fly at this point.)

But frankly, the question I should have asked myself was what made them hand deliver their presents, not to me, but to the baby Jesus.

The Magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child and they made themselves present to the infant Jesus. Anyone could have delivered the gifts on behalf of the kings, but they chose to travel for months just to see a “child with Mary his mother” (Matthew 2:11); now that’s a commitment.

What astounds me is that they traveled thousands of miles and they left empty handed. All we remember is that they brought three gifts and we never think about the fact that there was nothing that they took back with them. The only thing they came to do was worship the newborn Christ and give Him gifts.

They had nothing to gain out of their visit to Bethlehem. How often do we go to Mass with the only purpose of worshipping God and not expect anything in return?

If we’re focused on what we can get out of God and not what we can give to Him, then our worship is selfish. Christ is faithful, but when we expect something in return we put Him in a box. Shifting our focus on what we can give Him frees us to receive His love the way He wants to give it.

The Magi did exactly that, and to Christ the true present was their presence.

Ultimately, the best gift we can give to God is our hearts, and in return He gives us His. He doesn’t want just our time, our talents, or our money – but more importantly – to make ourselves present to Him. Jesus talks about this and says, “Father, they are a gift to me.” (John 17:24)

The Magi came and knelt before the child Jesus, because He alone was worth their worship. He wants us to give Him our entire being. That is what He desires the most and He is worth our worship and adoration.

Make yourself present to Him and give Him the present He never stops asking for: your heart.

Day 12

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .
Twelve drummers drumming.

A few years ago I got to attend a drum line competition for one of my teens. I’d say it was pretty much like twelve drummers drumming. Actually, I had no idea that a percussion only band could sound like that. It was pretty cool. Today we come to the end of the song and the end of the Christmas season.

The twelve drummers can represent the 12 articles of faith found in the Apostles Creed. The Catechism actually takes these twelve points and explains them in depth. One of those twelve articles is that we believe “in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord.”

That is really what these days of Christmas are about. The song always comes back to that; every verse of this song ends with the one Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Our faith as Catholics rests on the Incarnation, God become flesh. Forget hens, swans, drums, and dancers, the best gift of all is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Every time we go to Mass, we get to enter in to this celebration.

Happy Epiphany!

Day 11

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .
Eleven pipers piping.

Have you ever heard bagpipes? They have a distinct and loud sound. When in I was in high school, a family friend was visiting. She was an accomplished musician who played many instruments, including the bagpipe. For whatever reason that afternoon, she actually played the bagpipe in the house. It was so loud. It became my and my brother’s instant opinion that bagpipes are made for outside spaces or very, very large indoor spaces—never inside the house!

Nevertheless, the celebration continues here. We have good food, great dancing, and now, we have music. Living our faith should be a celebration. As the Bible Geek recently wrote, a Christian who lacks joy is a contradiction. Remember, we experience that joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, working in our life.

The eleven pipers piping can help us to remember the eleven faithful apostles. We know the story of the Judas’ betrayal. And yet by the end of the night, Peter had also denied Christ. We should strive to be faithful in following the Lord, but even when we are not, God is. (2 Timothy 2:13). When we stray, God is always ready to receive us back; do you need to turn around and come back home? (Thank you, Matt Maher.) The Lord is always ready to welcome you back and offer forgiveness.

Day 10

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .
Ten Lords-a-leaping.

The dancing continues today with the lords getting involved. For a better context of lord, think Lord and Lady, Duke and Duchess, Prince and Princess, etc. The United Kingdom has a “House of Lords,” which is part of the Parliament. Of course, I doubt they are physically leaping . . . or playing leap frog, for that matter.

So, let’s just jump (or leap) right in to what the ten leaping lords can represent.

For Catholics, we have one Lord. When we profess the Nicene Creed, we declare, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life.” The word ‘lord’ designates honor. Do we give God the honor He deserves? We should; our Lord gives us life.

And, God doesn’t stop there. He wants us to live well. So, he gave us commandments to live by. We have 10 leaping lords, we also have 10 Commandments. Our creator knows us best, so doesn’t it make sense that we should look to Him for the instruction manual on how to live? It all starts with putting God first; “You shall have no other gods before me.” You can find the rest of the commandments in Exodus 20.