We have a God who deals in the impossible. This is huge, life-changing, and has everything to do with Christmas. I think we’re so used to the story of “Christmas” that we can easily forget to spend time just letting ourselves be amazed by the story.
I’ll never forget when I learned Jesus wasn’t really born on December 25th. It shocked me. I felt cheated – like somehow my adolescent life had just lost some of its innocence. Thank God, I thought, Santa was still real – that would have really shattered my holiday season.
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
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Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe! Check out the story behind the famous apparition.
First, we need to be clear here. The Immaculate Conception is not about the conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb. It’s about the conception of Mary in her mother’s womb years before. While Mary was conceived in the normal, human way through her parents (Joachim and Anne), the Immaculate Conception speaks to the fact that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin.
The cheers exploded! There was singing and dancing. The outdoor arena was packed with 50,000 teens and the energy was tangible in the air because of their excitement. No, we weren’t at a Lady Gaga concert. We came for the greatest “Lady”—Our Lady, the Blessed Mother. It was the 22nd annual Medjugorje Youth Festival, and I was there to experience the pilgrimage of a lifetime!
When I ask you, “How many friends do you have?” what pops into your mind? Is it …
How many “true” friends?
How many Facebook friends?
How many friends in my whole lifetime? Actually, it’s far more than any of those numbers. In truth you have more friends than you can count. The saints in heaven are the best friends you could ask for – and they’re pulling for you.
About twelve years ago a teen named Billy asked me this question, “Why do you Catholics believe that Mary ascended into heaven, when it’s not even in the Bible?” “Well, first…” I replied, “Mary did not ascend into heaven; the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven. Jesus ascended by His own power. Mary was taken up into heaven by God.” That little difference is a big difference, so I wanted to be sure he understood it.
Billy then replied, “Okay, fine…but it’s still not in the Bible. The Church made it up.”
This is where the conversation got really interesting.
His friends did not believe in the death and resurrection of our blessed Lord. First of all, when the women went to the grave, they did not go to greet the risen Savior. They brought spices to anoint a dead body. Their problem was in moving back the stone. In front of this subterranean grave there was places a great millstone, with a hole in the center through which a pole would be put to roll away the stone. That is why they asked, “Who shall roll us back the stone in order that we may anoint the dead body?” [...]
I love it when people use my name. “Nice to meet you Christina.” “Thank you Christina.” “Christina, it was great to see you again.” There’s something so affirming and personal about it. Your name represents you and who you are. When someone says your name, you know you’re not just another number to them, not just a face passing by. Instead, you matter.
You might see the title of this and think, “Theotokos? That’s as hard to read as Greek!” You’d be right, because it is Greek! Find out what it means – and how it applies to Mary – in this Saintly Minute video.
October 7th is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, so we’ve brought back a great article by Matt Smith about bringing the rosary into your prayer life.
If you can’t stand the rosary, this article is for you. Pope John Paul II loved praying the rosary, and that was a problem for me. I admired the pope’s wisdom, but I was an eighteen-year-old college freshman who couldn’t stand praying the rosary. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being Catholic, but the rosary seemed like the least appealing way to pray…
While half of the Edge campers went tubing in Helen, GA, on Day 3 of Week 5, the other half stayed at camp to do high and low ropes courses. Everyone came back together for Mass in the evening and session at night as the night focused on Mary’s “yes.” The theme of the week was “Behold the Mystery.” Host was Kevin Hickey; musician was Grae McCullough. [nggallery id=136]
Olivia, Mark Hart, and Fr. J explain why Mary was a virgin before AND after Christ’s birth.
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