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Christ’s Victory Will Come

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Sunday within the Octave of Christmas 2015
The liturgy is not only the prayer of the Church, but the prayer of Our Lord Himself.  Similar to the sacraments, the liturgy also uses outward signs to confer grace to us.  We continually renew the celebration of Christmas throughout the days of its octave.  In the composite scene of the Creche Set we are taught many things.  In the animals of the nativity scene we see that all of creation is being renewed and once more submits to its Creator.  This Mass also looks forward to the end of the Christmas season with its reference to the feast of the Purification.  We must not submit to the disinformation which the world propagates against the Nativity and must remain ever confident in Christ’s coming victory.
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Swaddling Clothes and a Manger

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Christmas Midnight Mass 2015
We should pay special attention to the repetition of the phrase “swaddling clothes” in the Gospel account for today.  The importance of these swaddling clothes is found in the care and love shown to the Holy Infant.  Even though this Child was rejected by so many and was forced to be laid in a filthy feeding trough for animals found in a dark cave, there are those who still loved Him and cared for Him.  This is the story of Christ’s entire life – rejected by many but ardently loved by a few.  The Savior entered the world through the painless, virginal birth of His Mother.  This birth prophesied the Resurrection, in which Our Lord passed through the tomb with new life, while leaving the tomb shut.  On this feast, we celebrate the stupendous moment in which our Redeemer first appeared to mankind in the Flesh.  God the Father became father in a new way today, and all Heaven celebrates the birth of His Son.  On this feast, our sorrows are lifted and we look forward to a greater day to come.
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Anticipate Christmas Joys

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Gaudete Sunday 2015
The “O” Antiphons are sung every day from December 17th to the feast of the Nativity. Antiphons are citations from Holy Scripture or prayers created by the Church that demonstrate the theme of the day, recited before and after the Psalms of the Divine Office. The “O” Antiphons are very ancient petitions to God the Son in preparation for the end of time. These prayers refer to the Son of God as “Wisdom,” “Adonai,” “Root of Jesse,” and other titles full of meaning. We should pray these antiphons to help us prepare for the real purpose of Christmas.

The liturgical color of rose is a combination of the violet color representing penance and the white representing joy. Penance is found in the hatred of sins and the intention never to commit them again. Mortification is related to penance but refers to acts which put our evil inclinations to death. Through mortification we deny ourselves even those things which are permissible, in order to strengthen us on the road to sanctity. The joy of this day comes from our proximity to the great feast of Christmas, in which we have a foretaste of the everlasting joys of Heaven.
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The Triumph of the New Eve

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Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2015
Although the Blessed Mother was given the unique privilege of being preserved from Original Sin, this does not mean that she was not redeemed.  It simply means that she was redeemed in a more perfect, anticipatory manner.  She was conceived with an initial plenitude of grace, yet her share in God’s life continually increased in her until she was taken back to Heaven.  Adam was made God-like with the gift of Sanctifying Grace and mankind was meant to remain in perfect harmony with the Divine.  Because Adam was made master of creation, he was given a sign to show his subordination to God – the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The devil brought evil into the world by convincing Eve to tempt Adam.  We see in the book of Genesis how quick God is to offer mercy after we fall.  Immediately after the sin of Adam was revealed, God promised a Savior who would come through the new Eve, the woman never touched by sin.
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God Created Us to Pray

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2nd Sunday of Advent 2015
St. John the Baptist did not doubt that Christ was the promised Messiah when he sent his followers to question Him, but rather he wished that his followers would recognize Our Lord and follow Him instead.  We are all preparing for the coming of Christ and do penance so we might receive Him worthily.  Advent is the season to give up our sins.  The graces and virtues God gives us are a pledge which reminds us how much God desires our salvation.  Even if we feel our prayers have little effect, they are far more powerful than we believe, especially when they are united to the prayers of Christ.  In union with all Catholics through the history of the Church, we beg God to grant us the victory which we cannot achieve on our own.
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What Really Matters

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After brief account of St. Peter Chrysologus the Gospel about the salt of the earth was explained.  The epistle about St. Paul teaching his disciple, St. Timothy, about work as a bishop. Finally, understanding “to love is to give” and do we really care? By this we can evaluate how much we love and give.

Sermon #20151204
Liturgical day: First Friday – St. Peter Chrysologus
Length: 64 minutes

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Rededicate Yourselves!

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1st Sunday of Advent 2015

At the beginning of the new liturgical year, we are reminded of many great truths.  Advent is a time of preparation.  God had His Chosen People wait in anticipation of His first coming in mercy, and He has His chosen people once again waiting for His return in glory.  Our Lord, as the great Pontiff, bridges the gap between the Creator and the creature, between the infinite and the finite, in His Incarnation.  With the beginning of the liturgical year, our journey to become more Christlike is renewed once more.  This progressive incorporation into Christ can only be accomplished through participation in the Mass, devout reception of the sacraments, and unceasing prayer.
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The Remains of Sin

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All Souls Day 2015

Very few in our day remember the souls of the departed because of the false belief in the universal salvation of all men.  In assisting the suffering souls in Purgatory, we gain friends who will intercede for us.  We must never waste the time we have been given, because the way we choose to spend our moments on earth will make the difference between an eternity in Heaven or Hell.  Many souls can be released on this day, especially through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.  All our sins have a debt of punishment attached to them.  If we pray our penance well, we could remit our entire debt of temporal punishment, but if we die with these dispositions of soul, we would rather throw ourselves into the punishments of Purgatory than remain in the presence of the infinitely perfect God.
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We Must Desire Sanctity

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All Saints Day 2015
Today we rejoice because this is the day on which the Church celebrates all her children who have overcome the world.  In the process by which a saint is canonized, it must be determined that they expressed nothing contrary to faith and morals, and that they practiced virtue in a heroic way.  After this, the Church waits for God to affirm the individual’s sanctity by miracles attributed to their intercession.  It is not enough for a Catholic merely to recite the Creed, he must believe it and practice it.  For every walk of life, there is a saint who has lived it as an example to follow.  Today we adore God as we honor His saints, and desire to make the little sacrifices necessary on our road to holiness.
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