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Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Today’s readings And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Luke notes all throughout Jesus’ young life that Mary kept the events of Jesus’ life and reflected on them in her heart. At the visit of the shepherds, and again after finding Jesus in the temple, Mary kept those memories for…
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Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist
Today’s readings “He saw and believed.” The “other” disciple, often called the “beloved” disciple or the disciple “whom Jesus loved,” is Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, the one we celebrate today. Saint John had a very special relationship with Christ. He wasn’t as zealous and boisterous as Peter could be, but he had a…
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The Nativity of Our Lord: Mass During the Night and During the Day
Today’s readings: Mass During the Night | Mass During the Day We settle for mediocrity way too easily sometimes, I think. All of the “stuff” that we have to have or get to give at this time of year is an example of that. The latest gadgets will be out of date very soon, and…
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The Nativity of the Lord: Children’s Vigil Mass
Today’s readings #christmasnd Once upon a time, there was an old shepherd named Elias. He had been a shepherd for his whole life long, just like his father, and his father’s father. Being a shepherd was hard and lonely work. He took care of a large group of sheep and did his best to protect…
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Advent Penance Service
Today’s readings: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-36 | Psalm 27 | Matthew 5:13-16 During this time of year, there’s a lot more darkness than I’m sure most of us would like to see. The daylight fades very fast, and there’s a lot of cold and cloudy days. And so, as joyful as this season is supposed to…
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Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent: O Root of Jesse
Today’s readings In these late days of Advent, we pray the “O Antiphons.” These antiphons are the various titles of Jesus as found in Scripture. Today’s antiphon is “O Root of Jesse” and it is found as the antiphon for the Canticle of Mary in Vespers: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised…
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The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today’s readings #adventnd #christmasnd #advent #christmas What has captured my imagination as I’ve prayed this Advent is how we have been given this wonderful gift. This gift eclipses anything we’ll ever be given, anything we will ever earn, anything that will ever cross our meandering path in life. Today, the readings call that gift Emmanuel…
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Friday of the Third Week of Advent
Today’s readings Mass for the school children. #adventnd #advent #Christmas I can’t believe it but Christmas is only just nine days away now! I know everyone is so busy writing letters to Santa, being good so they don’t get on the “naughty” list, wrapping Christmas presents for their parents, and baking cookies for Father Pat!…
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Saint Lucy, Virgin Martyr
Today’s readings In every age, young people have the difficult task of remaining pure. Some ignore the task, but some take it up at great personal cost. This was true of Saint Lucy, who desired to remain pure because of her commitment to Christ. She was born of noble parents in Sicily around the year…
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Our Lady of Guadalupe
Today’s readings Appropriately enough, I think, we celebrate a second of Mary’s feasts in the space of just four days. During Advent, we naturally turn our hearts in gratitude to Mary for her fiat that made possible our world’s salvation. Last week we celebrated the Immaculate Conception of Mary; today we celebrate a quite different…
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