And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. – Luke 21:27 Advent is here! While the days are getting shorter and darker each day, with the increasing darkness comes the promise of brighter days: “but for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays” (Malachi 4:2). Sun of Justice is one of the names of Jesus. In…
Fourth Sunday of Advent “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”– Mary, The Annunciation, Luke 1:38 Yes, Lord, may it be done to me according to Your Word (Luke 1:38). Yes, Lord, I will follow You no matter where You lead me. Shepherd me and I will be Your beloved sheep (Psalm 23:1) Yes, Lord, I accept all the successes You will bring me.…
In the desert, prepare the way of the Lord! – Isaiah 40:3 & Mark 1:3 Christmas is coming, and it’s time to prepare! It’s time for planning gifts, special food, decorations…the list goes on. It’s also time to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming. Repentance, or turning away from old behaviors that do not glorify God or serve us, is a key way to focus on preparing our hearts during Advent. We can vow to…
First Sunday of Advent “Yet, O Lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.” – Isaiah 64:7 Imagine a clay sculpture that strikingly bears a resemblance to the person it was sculpted after. Now imagine that the sculpture is damaged in an earthquake. It toppled and fell onto the floor. It isn’t entirely broken, for it still bears resemblance to the model.…
On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of peace on our Advent wreaths. Notice that we continue to light each of the other candles, representing hope, faith, and joy. None of these virtues are extinguished as we progress toward Christmas; they all work together in our hearts and build upon one another. For joy and peace are fruits of the Holy Spirit; they spring forth from faith, hope, and charity. When we…
This is Gaudete Sunday, the day when we focus on rejoicing in the coming of Christ. In our first reading, Isaiah tells us that in the presence of the Lord, even the desert will “bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice in joyful song” (Is 35:2). But let’s be honest, do you feel more like you’re in a dry desert than an oasis right now? Is it hard to be truly joyful in this moment? If…
A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low; The rugged land shall be a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. ~Isaiah 40:3-5 Jesus, prepare my heart for Your coming. Show me the…
It’s late in the calendar year. The darkness increases as we draw nearer to winter, but on this first day of Advent—the very first day of our Church year—we are called to wake up early, while it is still dark. “It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw…
The days are getting shorter and darker each day now. But with the increasing darkness comes the promise of brighter days: “but for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays” (Mal 3:20). Sun of Justice is one of the names of Jesus. If your family does a Jesse Tree during Advent, you might remember this from the O Antiphons that are recited during Vespers in the…