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The Third Sunday of Advent
Today’s readings Today is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice,” reflecting the first word of the entrance antiphon for today which says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” On this Sunday, we take a break from the somber tones of purple and put on the more festive color rose…
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Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Today’s readings Mass for the school children. Don’t you hate it when you’re having an argument with someone and they turn out to be right, and you turn out to be wrong? I know I do. But that kind of thinking doesn’t get us anywhere good. That kind of thinking puts up an obstacle to…
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Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Today’s readings A long time ago now, someone once gave my family an ornament for our Christmas tree. It was very curious: basically just a large nail hung from a green ribbon. You probably already know the significance of the nail: when looking at the manger, we remember the cross. When gazing on the Christmas…
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Monday of the Second Week of Advent
Today’s readings What the Pharisees were missing in this gospel story was that there is something that paralyzes a person much worse than any physical thing, and that something, of course, is sin. And if you’ve ever found yourself caught up in a pattern of sin in your life, of if you’ve ever struggled with…
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The Second Sunday of Advent
Today’s readings I don’t know if it’s ever easy to listen to the news any more. Unrest in the middle east, abuse scandals in the entertainment industry and political arena, crime in our cities, and so much more. And all of those are the man-made problems: they are byproducts of the reign of sin in…
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The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today’s readings Blessed Pope Pius IX instituted the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 1854, when he proclaimed as truth the dogma that our Lady was conceived free from the stain of original sin. This had been a traditional belief since about the eighth century, and had been…
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Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Today’s readings “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” How willing are we to see everything and every situation as a gift…
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The First Sunday of Advent
Today’s readings To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame. Those are the very first words in the Roman Missal’s Proper of Time. …
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Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings I think we all wonder what Jesus meant when he said, “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” Certainly the then-current generation has come and gone, and it doesn’t seem like we’ve come to the end of the world. But the Church would pose two very important…
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