Advent

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…

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…

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…

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…

Very often, the first Sunday of Advent comes so soon after Thanksgiving that we hear ourselves saying, “Is it Advent already? Where does the time go?” We have been so immersed in the spirit of autumn — from the back-to-school routines to…

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,…

The real sign that he chose is hiddenness. … This sign of hiddenness points us toward the fact that the reality of truth and love, the actual reality of God, is not to be met within the world of quantities but can only be found if we rise…

It’s Christmastime! There are only so many shopping days left! Have you put lights on your house yet, sent out cards, and bought sufficient gifts? Do you need something new to wear for the annual Christmas party? Have you planned the meal…

The Christmas season can be a time of distraction for many of us if we allow ourselves to focus too much on “what it is we want” rather than “what we have to offer." Do not get me wrong, I, too, love Christmas gift giving, but let us recall…

Advent is the perfect time to learn more about the Gospel stories of Jesus’ conception, birth, and infancy. We call these stories the “infancy narratives.” We are already quite familiar with these stories, but you may find something new or…