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Advent
St. John the Baptist and the call to conversion during Advent
Advent is about watching and preparing. The Mass readings for the First Sunday of Advent reveal this fact to us. Of course, we are watching and preparing for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, at Christmas, but the readings remind us…
Advent’s message for the past, present, and future
The great medieval saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) famously said there are three ways of interpreting the Advent season. More specifically, the three ways of understanding the coming of Christ which the Advent season anticipates. For…
December: Old Testament saints?
Sunday of the Holy Forefathers and Feast of the Holy Fathers (Dec.16, 23 this year) If you ever wondered whether the holy men and women of the Old Testament are considered saints by the Church, December has your answer. It contains the…
Readying our hearts for Advent
As the season of Advent ushers in a new liturgical year, and a tumultuous year comes to a close in the Church, it may be a fitting time to revisit three Advent homilies given by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) in 1964. Ratzinger’s…
Five family activities to celebrate the Epiphany
The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated either on the 12th day after Christmas, Jan. 6, or on the first Sunday after Jan 1. Below are some ideas you can incorporate into your celebration this year, inspired by some…
Mystery in the ancient Nativity icon tradition
The traditional icon of the Nativity is very different from what you usually find on Christmas cards, with Mary, baby Jesus, and St. Joseph clustered together in a barn over the manger. From ancient times, the Nativity icon has been an…
The perfect Christmas gift
It’s not too late to take a tip on Christmas gift giving from two doctors of the Church: St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Teresa of Ávila. You can help a soul in purgatory reach heaven on Dec. 25. And — marking the eight days of the Octave of…
Drinking like St. Nick this Christmas
The holiday drinking season is upon us, and while many are thinking about what they can imbibe, sinners and saints alike might also consider how they ought to imbibe. One way to approach this question is to ask how one can drink like a…
St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa Claus
This Dec. 1, I was witness to a peculiar ritual no doubt occurring in many of your own hometowns around this time of year. Much of the town gathered around a large pine tree, moving around to keep themselves warm in moist, cold New England…
Creating Advent peace in your life
When we think of Christmas, we often think of shopping, gifts, parties, and relatives visiting. Preparing for Christmas can be a stressful time. However stressful the preparations are, however, it is important to slow down to light candles,…