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The Nativity of the Lord (Vigil Mass)
In a town called Nazareth in Galilee, a long time ago, a girl named Mary lived with her parents, Joachim and Ann. Mary was just around fourteen years old or so. She came from a quiet little area of the world, and just looking at Mary and her parents, you’d have to say nothing about…
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Wednesday of the Second Week in Advent
Today’s readings The bane of our spiritual lives is the horrible thought that we have to handle all of life’s challenges and battles on our own. This stems from the sin of pride, which is a conviction that we are to take care of ourselves and depend on no one else, and that we are…
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Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Today’s Gospel reading presents us with Luke’s version of the Parable of the Talents from Matthew’s Gospel. Luke’s version seems a little confusing to our ears; perhaps even a bit harsh. One wonders if Jesus was hangry or something. But we know he’s simply turning up the fire on his disciples because the…
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Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Today’s readings St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, who was called “Mother Cabrini” during her life, was a humble woman of great faith and fortitude, who stayed with her mission. She was refused entrance to the religious order that had educated her. So she began working at an orphanage, eventually becoming a sister in the religious order…
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Pope Saint Leo the Great, Doctor of the Church
Pope Saint Leo the Great was known to be a wonderful administrator of the Church. But far from being caught up in purely administrative matters, he was also a very spiritual and prayerful man, many of whose great writings have become part of the lifeblood of our Church. He was elected to the papacy in…
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The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Today’s readings Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome. That might seem like a strange feast for us to celebrate, since few of us have probably ever even been there. But St. John Lateran is a very important church for us Catholics. It is the “mother…
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Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Mass at Saint John the Baptist, Winfield I love that the Church celebrates women who were intellectual, influential, and beautiful, which is why I chose to celebrate this optional memorial today. Today is the (optional) memorial of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a twelfth century German Benedictine nun and Doctor of the Church who has recently…
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The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Today’s readingsMass at Saint John the Baptist, Winfield Bishop Robert Barron tells about an interreligious dialogue between Catholics and Buddhists at which he was present. At one point, one of the Buddhists said to him, pointing to the Cross above the door in the meeting room, “Why is that obscene image on every wall in…
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Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readingsMass at Saint John the Baptist, Winfield Luke’s treatment of the Beatitudes is a little different than Matthew’s. While Matthew lists the blessings, it is only Luke who lists the woes. Whether we are looking at the blessings or the woes, it is clear that God’s wisdom is different than ours. How many of…
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