Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

THe Feast of the Holy Family gives us reason to reflect on how important family is to God's plan of salvation. He formed a family for His Son, uniting them in chaste love, pouring His full grace on the sinless Blessed Mother, and blessed St. Joseph with the grace enough to be a husband and father. Do we ask for the grace needed to live our vocations?

Christmas Proclamation

Today, the twenty-fifth day of December,
unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the earth
and then formed man and woman in his own image.

Several thousand years after the flood,
when God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.

Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah;
thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.

Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges;
one thousand years from the anointing of David as king;
in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.

In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome.

The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming,
being conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and nine months having passed since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary.

Today is the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Blessed are you who believed that what the Lord promised would be fulfilled. Elizabeth pronounces this blessing on the Blessed Mother. She was probably aware of the fact that her own husband, despite his seeing the angel Gabriel who announced the conception of her son, doubted. Perhaps she was aware that in her own prayer that she had placed faith in the promise.
Are we blessed to believe the promises of the Lord ourselves?

Third Sunday of Advent

What should we do? The question is asked of John the Baptist as people become aware of the nearness of the Christ. John responds to all with a common theme - acts of charity and morality. This advent, we, too, are invited too respond to God's call in our lives.

Second Sunday of Advent

Prepare the way, make straight the path. John the Baptist's message is clear, but it is not about the physical preparations of roads. It is about spiritual paths. Lower the mountains of pride and anxiety. Raise the valleys of despair and lack of charity. Straighten the paths to our hearts. Of course, it is the grace of God working in us that make this possible. When we do, we are able to respond more readily to the Lord.

First Sunday of Advent

The day is coming when all around us will cease as it is now, when Christ will return and offer it all to His Father. We ought not be afraid of the end, but rather to stand erect and raise our heads. We can do that if we have done what the Lord asks of us.