The Good News is good news indeed, but it is not quite a free pass. We have a part we need to play beyond simply waiting for our Savior. We need to keep our eye on the ball.
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Prepare the Way of the Lord – 2nd Sunday of Advent
Preparation is our watchword. Prepare the way. The Christ Child isn't here . . . yet. But He's coming.
Christ is Coming! 1st Sunday of Advent
Christ is Coming Christ is coming! That, after all, is the theme of Advent (from Latin adventus, arrival). Today, the 1st Sunday in Advent, marks the beginning of a special penitential season. This time is set apart, hallowed, to prepare ourselves for the coming and arrival of Jesus. And we're not simply preparing for … Continue reading Christ is Coming! 1st Sunday of Advent
What We Wish for, or Christ the King
Even those of us who really believe that God is our king, however, sometimes look to political figures, or political programs (and there are plenty of those, even in the Church) to bring about salvation.
We Came, We Saw . . . God Conquered
Sobieski’s force was called The Holy League, the same name borne by that alliance which defeated the Turks in the naval battle of Lepanto in the previous century. Like those earlier Christian soldiers, who prayed the Rosary before going into battle with the Turkish fleet, Sobieski’s army prayed . . .
St. Maximilian Kolbe: Witness to the Gospel of Love
What Do You Do? Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15.13) Picture yourself in the death camp at Auschwitz. You’re standing in formation with all your fellow prisoners. The Nazis who run the camp offer a harsh disincentive to escape: for every inmate who breaks … Continue reading St. Maximilian Kolbe: Witness to the Gospel of Love
St. Bridget of Sweden: a Successful Failure?
St. Bridget's success, and our “success” as Christians, consists in fidelity to Christ and in nothing else.
Fruit of the Same Tree: St. Valentine and Ash Wednesday
Fruit of the Same Tree St. Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday, believe it or not, are fruit of the same tree. Granted, that's not apparent to everybody. The last time the two feasts shared the same space on the calendar a priest well known on theh internet posted the following: “This year nothing says happy … Continue reading Fruit of the Same Tree: St. Valentine and Ash Wednesday
The Midpoint Between The Nativity and The Passion
The Midpoint Today is the midpoint, the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end. Which is to say, today is the Feast of the Presentation, a perfect microcosm of both/and. The official Christmas Season ended a couple weeks ago on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. The Presentation of the baby Jesus … Continue reading The Midpoint Between The Nativity and The Passion
Divine Patience: 2nd Sunday of Advent
Divine Patience: the Mass readings for the 2nd Sunday of Advent remind us that God is patient with us. Lord knows we need it.