Readings for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
It’s Christmas! Readings for Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 Readings for the Day of the Nativity of Our Lord: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Readings for the 4th Sunday in Advent: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29; Rom 16:25-27; Lk 1:26-38
Have you had that awkward moment yet? I have. Actually, a couple times. Everyone around me remembered to grab their instructional pew cards. But no, I haven’t mastered that necessary skill I need to remember not to say “And also with you.” So there I stand, awkwardly sputtering the words my mind automatically supplies.
But when we talk about the union of God the Father with God the Son, it is not enough to just say that they are the same. They are both God – one God in three unique Persons. By asking us to now use the word consubstantial when we pray the Creed (remember, the Creed is a statement of what we believe as Catholics) the Church is reminding us of the importance of professing that the Father and the Son are the exact same substance.
If we are just praying for the event, rather than person, we’ve missed the whole point of Christmas.
Readings for the 2nd Sunday in Advent: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Ps 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8
Editor’s Note: This is a true story told by a priest who would prefer to remain anonymous. I was celebrating a wedding, the first wedding in the parish where I was assigned as a newly ordained priest. It was for a couple that was not particularly faithful and whom I had never gotten to know because I had just shown up at the parish. The deacon of the parish was to assist me by preaching since he knew them. We walked in for the entrance procession and everything went just swimmingly well Read more [...]
“… Now you shall consider My love in the Blessed Sacrament. Here, I am entirely yours, soul, body and divinity, as your Bridegroom. You know what love demands: one thing only, reciprocity.” Jesus to St. Faustina
Now a lot times we think the bride wears the white dress to show that she’s a virigin or that she’s pure, and that is part of the tradition. In this case, the linen garment shows in an outward way that on the inside is pure. This is one of the reasons that in Corinthians the Church says before you go to receive the Eucharist, you should be in a state of grace. You should not have serious sin. You should not have mortal sin in your soul. You should go to Confession before you go to Communion.
What the Church is trying to teach us, what God is revealing to St. John to reveal to us is Revelation. The book of Revelation is not a book of damnation and hell; the book of Revelation is about a wedding.
There is something about Mass being the first real moment of my day that I don’t think I could do justice describing. It changes my entire approach to the world around me. Someone might argue that it’s unnecessary to go everyday but if I could why wouldn’t I? The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. Receiving the Eucharist is more productive than anything else I could do in my whole day. It not hard to see how consuming Christ is more important than that extra moment of sleep or playing video games. He is all that I need. If I don’t go to Mass, I refuse an incredible invitation from the God of the universe!
I hope by now you’ve heard that some of the words we say at Mass are going to be changing. The english-speaking world is getting a new translation of the Roman Missal – the book of prayers at Mass.
For the past couple weeks at my parish in place of the homily we’ve been listening to a teaching on the new words. Honestly, as I sit there on the hard pew with my eyelids getting heavier by the minute, I can’t help but ask myself, “Why should I care?”
The answer is simple: words matter.
Are you ready for Christ to shine His light into your life? Readings for the 1st Sunday in Advent: Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7; Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Mk 13:33-37
Are you willing to listen to the Shepherd’s voice? Readings for the Solemnity of Christ the King: Ez 34:11-12, 15-17; Ps 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6; 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28; Mt 25:31-46
Lately he had been having doubts about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Was the bread and wine really transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus?
He said Mass at the Church of St. Christina. As Peter raised the Host and consecrated it blood started flowing out of it, onto his hands and the altar. God was telling him (and us) that yes, He is truly present in the host.
Peter was confused and tried to hide the blood.
Why did we switch the “Sabbath” from Saturday to Sunday? What does the Mass have to do with the Resurrection, besides being on the same day of the week, Sunday? How does that effect me? How can I live out the Resurrection celebration in my daily life? Fr. Fred explains the answers to these questions and tells us how we can still celebrate Christ’s rising from the dead today!
“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.” – St. Maximillian Kolbe
Two monks got in a boat and rowed to the Church. When they saw that the water was halfway up the main doors they feared the worst. They pushed open the doors to the church and saw that the main aisle and the altar were completely free of water. The rest of the Church was filled with four feet of water, but the altar remained dry. The Blessed Sacrament was just as they had left it. They also saw that some papers, books and cloths which had been placed under the altar were dry.
Are you using your talents at the service of the Lord? Readings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; 1 Thes 5:1-6; Mt 25:14-30
