Catechetics
O Antiphons – Flower of Jesse – Dec 19
The kids at our parish school love to make Jesse trees. Who can blame them? Arts and crafts are always a fun way to learn, and for kids, a way to get away from books. They think they’re NOT learning, although they really are. It’s a win-win – teachers happy, kids happy, parents happy with [...]
O Antiphons – Sacred Lord – Dec 18
Tonight’s antiphon recalls the magnificence and mystery of YHWH. Our God is a jealous God, one who allows no pretenders, no distractions to His people. O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand [...]
O Antiphons – Wisdom – Dec 17
Tonight at Vespers the O Antiphons begin. Tonight, the first night, features holy Wisdom. Here is the text of the Antiphon from the Liturgy of the Hours: O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation. Wisdom is [...]
Do Not Adjust Your Set
This week we celebrate Gaudete Sunday – the 3rd Sunday of Advent. There is a Lenten counterpart to Guaudete Sunday, called Laetare Sunday, which occurs on the 4th Sunday of Lent. In days of old, when the fasting and preparation seasons of Advent and Lent were stricter, the faithful recognized these particular Sundays as marking [...]
The blood of the martyrs . . .
In his work Apologeticum written in 197 Tertullian included this famous line, “the blood of the matyrs is the seed of the Church.” (Chapter 50) Nothing could be more true, and the truth of his famous line is shown in both today’s feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, as well as Friday on the feast [...]
San Benedetto
Today is the feast of our holy father among the saints Benedict. St. Benedict is the father of western monasticism. His Rule, written about 1,500 years ago is still used by Benedictine men and women today in their monasteries. St. Benedict is particularly meaningful to me, as the seminary I attended was run by the [...]
Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Today the Church celebrates the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Precursor, John. Liturgically, this is the final day of the Christmas season. In the East the feast is known as Theophany. This awesome and mysterious event in the life of Christ shows forth the divine manifestation of the sacred Trinity. As recorded [...]
