3rd Day of Christmas – St. John the Evangelist, Love at the Foot of the Cross
John is beloved because he is a disciple who himself loves much – so much that he alone of the Apostles follows Christ all the way to Calvary and stands with the Blessed Mother and Mary Magdalene at the foot of the Cross. He is our model in loving discipleship.
2nd Day of Christmas – St. Stephen and the Incarnation
We need to embrace the Gospel in its entirety. The joy of the Nativity leads to the sorrow of Cavalry, which itself prepares the way for the still greater glory of Easter.
Even Little Saints See the Face of God: St. Servulus, Tiny Tim, and the Nativity
Servulus is truly an admirable model of heroic virtue. In spite of a lifetime of constant suffering, he was filled with gratitude to his Creator, and was completely devoted to Him, as signified by his name (Servulus means “little slave”). Moreover, despite his own absolute poverty, he was keenly aware of the need of others.
3rd Sunday of Advent: Keep Your Eye on the Ball
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.
2nd Sunday of Advent: Lo, How A Rose
Root of Jesse 2nd Sunday
What Is Man That Thou Art Mindful of Him?
What is Man? When I look at the Heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars which thou hast established; What is man that thou art mindful of him, And the son of man that thou dost care for him? Yet thou hast made him little less than God, And dost crown […]
Mozart Makes The Gloria Soar
The Gloria The Gloria starts with “Glory to God in the highest . . .” If you frequent the Catholic Mass, you know this prayer. You’ve heard it hundreds of times, maybe thousands. But how much do you know about it? Or have you ever wondered where it comes from, or how it got into the Mass? First […]
The Church’s First Decision: St. Matthias
The Church’s First Decision The Church’s first decision (of consequence, anyway) concerned the first successor to the Apostles. That would be the choice of today’s saint, St. Matthias, whom the Apostles designated to take the vacant place of Judas among the twelve. How the Apostles came to their decision gives us an enlightening look at […]
Feed My Sheep: Love, Forgiveness, and Grace
God is always the initiator, inviting us to share His Grace. And He’s always willing to move a little closer, if it will bring us closer to Him . . . even to the point of becoming one of us.
Truth is “a Thing” – St. Athanasius in the 21st Century
The Church is supposed to be a Sign of Contradiction (Luke 2:34). If all she offers in the face of sin is a Nod and a Wink, however, what is she teaching? How is any distinction possible between her teaching and what the Conventional Wisdom has on offer? Do we not then give tacit assent?