Anticipate Christmas Joys

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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God Created Us to Pray

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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Rededicate Yourselves!

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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Our Redemption Has Begun

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2015
What beautiful words the angel spoke to the Virgin Mary: “Nothing shall be impossible with God.”  Everything is under God’s power, and He is the Author of all.  We all exist to manifest the goodness of our Creator.  Evil is only permitted to occur so we may be sanctified by it.  This is called the Golden Mass because of its beauty and the many favors that are granted to those who pray fervently on this day.  This is the beginning of our redemption.  In the silent moment after the fiat of the Blessed Mother and the departure of the angel, the Son of God became man.  Christ became a priest at the moment of His conception, because in Him the whole cosmos is united.
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May Darkness Be Dispelled

Feast of the Purification 2015
This is one of the earliest feasts in honor of the Blessed Virgin.  In the Mosaic Law women underwent a juridical purification after birth.  Although it was not necessary for the Blessed Mother to receive any purification, out of humility and submission to the law, she participated in this ceremony.  This is the Mass of candles, and from the earliest days of the Church the candle has been used as a sacramental representing Christ Himself.  Today we pray that the light of Christ will dispel the darkness of vice in our hearts and strengthen us against the temptations of the devil.
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The Best For Last

2nd Sunday after Epiphany 2015
We are instructed today to use our gifts and talents with care, intention, and love of God.  We must use the Faith and Tradition to guide our interpretation of Holy Scripture.  Without the Faith we remain confused and are easily misled.  Prayer keeps our mind on Heaven and prevents us from wishing evil on our enemy.  The miracle of the marriage feast of Cana looks forward to our Redemption.  We cannot fathom what God is truly like, but God has made Himself present in His Word, and His Word is present in all of us.  God has loved us for eternity, how much must He want us to return that love?
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His Hidden Life

Feast of the Holy Family 2015
Children belong to God, and it is the responsibility of the parents to instill the principles and values necessary to live in the world.  Children must remember that their parents are people, not simply objects fulfilling a role in their lives.  In all the years of Christ’s private life no one knew He was the Son of God.  This speaks volumes about His humility. “I must be about my Father’s affairs,” means that fidelity to God comes before natural attachments, and even obedience to parents.  Christ’s hidden life was spent in love and obedience, and by this Christ demonstrated that the life of prayer and meditation is far superior to the active life.
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Ask In His Name

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus 2015
All Catholics bow their heads in reverence when they hear the name of Jesus because it is the name of God.  It is only in the name of Jesus that we will be saved.  When St. Peter says that “God the Father raised His Son from the dead,” he is simply expressing the Trinitarian doctrine.  We must pray that we are given the virtue of supernatural prudence.  We must pray the Rosary daily – that prayer which is responsible for so many miracles.  In the Old Testament the Hebrews could not even utter God’s name, so we must never take the name of God in vain.  His very name is a prayer.
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The Depths of Christ’s Humility

Octave of Christmas 2015
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.  If we want to know how much God loves us, all we need do is think of the Incarnation.  In all humility the Son of God bridged the infinite gap between God and man.  The closer we come to God the more we realize we are the lowest of all beings.  Pride tells a lie, which is why God answers the prayers of the humble.  This day celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin and the Circumcision of Our Lord.  As we enter a new year, we confide our past faults to God’s mercy and live in the present.  We must be recollected and prayerful, and we must see reality as it is – even if it is unpleasant.  This is the way to peace and happiness.
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He Rules Our Souls

Sunday within the Octave of Christmas 2014
Because the feast of the Nativity is so important, the Church celebrates throughout its octave, each day of which emphasizes different aspects of the Nativity.  We are given a great example of the staunch defense of the Faith on the feast of St. Stephen.  We are shown Our Lord as an infant, how He is seemingly helpless and most deserving of our love.  It is a privilege and honor to assist at the true Mass.  When we receive the Sanctifying Grace the Trinity is active in our souls.  The Holy Spirit establishes His home within us, and we are called to be His faithful children.
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