“We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Mt 2:2). There’s been much debate on the origin of the Christmas Star. Some think it was a comet or supernova. Others think it was a conjunction of planets. Planetariums even have “Star of Bethlehem” shows to explore all the theories. Whatever the cosmic origin, the star was from God. He placed it in the sky for a purpose: to guide…
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…
The story of Zacchaeus climbing the tree to see Jesus reminds me of the story of the men who went around the crowd and opened the roof of a house so their friend could be healed (Mk 2:1-12). Or remember the woman who only touched Jesus’s clothes and was cured of her hemorrhage (Mk 5: 25-35)? What lengths people went to so Jesus might heal them! We might suppose that Zacchaeus subconsciously wanted to see…
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I shall say it again: rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). Over and over, Scripture exhorts us to rejoice in our Lord. The Psalms, especially, are full of calls to worship God, praise His holy name, and sing of His glory: “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy” (Ps 66: 1). Rejoicing is a joyful cry of the heart. When we worship—especially when we sing from our hearts at…
Alleluia! He is risen! Pope St. John Paul II said, “Do not abandon yourself to despair. We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song.” We are Easter people; hope is our Christian identity. We are not people of fear. We are courageous, hopeful, beloved sons and daughters of God. Our very identity is tied to the Resurrection. We are called to believe that Christ is truly risen, to feel it deep in our bones,…
Imagine what the prodigal son must have looked like when he returned home. He wasn’t wearing his fine clothes or jewelry—he had probably pawned them off. He was dirty from tending the swine and walking for miles with no shoes. He may have even lost weight from lack of food. Even looking so unlike himself, his father recognized him “while he was still a long way off” (Lk 15:20). The son, who had once turned…
The Transfiguration of the Lord shows a powerful manifestation of the Holy Trinity. Peter, James, and John go with Jesus to Mt. Tabor to pray, and Jesus is transfigured: “his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white” (Lk 9:29). The glory of the Risen Christ was revealed. The veil of His humanity was lifted, showing His divine nature: “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). The transfigured Jesus is light…
“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it” (1 Cor 12:27). Each part of our bodies has a specific purpose, a role to play in the success of the whole. In our second reading, St. Paul describes the importance of each part of the body. We need our eyes to see, our hands to work, our legs and feet to get us around, and so on. Because we are each a part of…