Forever I am changed by your LOVE in the presence of YOUR MAGESTY. Prepare for Christ the KING PrepareForMass #catholic1 week ago
Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some shall live forever others shall be an everlasting horror & disgrace. PrepareforMass 1 week ago
On this last Sunday of the liturgical year we are celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King. Today's Gospel proposes to us anew part of the dramatic questioning to which Pontius Pilate subjected Jesus when he was handed over to him, accused of usurping the title, "King of the Jews".
Jesus answered the Roman governor's questions by declaring that he was a king, but not of this world (cf. Jn 18: 36). He did not come to rule over peoples and territories but to set people free from the slavery of sin and to reconcile them with God. And he added: "For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice" (Jn 18: 37).
But what is the "truth" that Christ came into the world to witness to? The whole of his life reveals that God is love: so this is the truth to which he witnessed to the full with the sacrifice of his own life on Calvary.
The Cross is the "throne" where he manifested his sublime kingship as God Love: by offering himself in expiation for the sin of the world, he defeated the "ruler of this world" (Jn 12: 31) and established the Kingdom of God once and for all. It is a Kingdom that will be fully revealed at the end of time, after the destruction of every enemy and last of all, death (cf. I Cor 15: 25-26). The Son will then deliver the Kingdom to the Father and God will finally be "everything to everyone" (I Cor 15: 28).
The way to reach this goal is long and admits of no short cuts: indeed, every person must freely accept the truth of God's love. He is Love and Truth, and neither Love nor Truth are ever imposed: they come knocking at the doors of the heart and the mind and where they can enter they bring peace and joy. This is how God reigns; this is his project of salvation, a "mystery" in the biblical sense of the word: a plan that is gradually revealed in history.
The Virgin Mary was associated in a very special way with Christ's kingship. God asked her, a humble young woman of Nazareth, to become Mother of the Messiah and Mary responded to this request with her whole self, joining her unconditional "yes" to that of her Son, Jesus, and making herself obedient with him even in his sacrifice. This is why God exalted her above every other creature and Christ crowned her Queen of Heaven and earth.
Let us entrust the Church and all humanity to her intercession, so that God's love can reign in all hearts and his design of justice and peace be fulfilled.
Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr. Although we have consistently attempted to calculate and figure out the Kingdom of God and the afterlife throughout history, perhaps we should try to use our skills and gifts of wisdom to be thankful, firm, and tranquil. (Preached on Thursday, November 12th, 2009, 12:15pm, St. Malachyâs Church, Broadway and 49th […]
Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time. Jesus reminds us in the Scriptures that yes we are all sinners, but with acknowledgement of that fact and sincere repentance we can enter God's glory. (Preached on Thursday, November 5th, 2009, 12:15pm, St. Malachyâs Church, Broadway and 49th, Times Square, New York City.)
A listener calls in with what is probably a common question, but one not often easily resolved: How do I get my kids to like church? (Originally aired: 10/15/09)
Father dave talks with the incredibly talented author, Anne Rice! One of America's most read and celebrated authors, Anne Rice is known for weaving the visible and supernatural worlds together in epic stories that both entertain and challenge readers. Her books are richly filled with history, belief, philosophy, religion, and compelling characters that […]
In the days leading up to Christmas the Church calendar provides Advent to reflect on our redemption and praying the Holy Rosary everyday is a good and holy thing to do.
In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus exhorts the disciples to “Be vigilant at all times.” He talks about not letting “carousing and drunkeness and the anxieties of daily life” get in the way of being prepared for the return of the Lord. Sound advice, no? I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel [...]
In today’s first reading from Daniel 7, we see the term “son of man” first used. This is the phrase that Jesus used more than any other to refer to himself. In the Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Let us [...]
Hosted by Fr. Benedict Groeschel CFR with guest Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan: Fr. Groeschel and Archbishop Dolan discuss what vocations are and how important they are to the Church. The question is not: "Why do I want to be a Priest?" The question is: "I want to be a Priest because I think God wants me to be." All of us are called by God t […]
Hosted by Marcus Grodi with guest David Mills: Mr. Mills describes his journey from a smart-aleck secularist to an Episcopalian to his catching Roman fever and his final Journey Home.
Hosted by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. with guest Leonard J. Nelson, III: On this pre-Thanksgiving show, Fr. Mitch and "Jack" Nelson talk about the current state of Catholic health care, especially in light of the current health care reform proposals in Washington.
Hosted by Doug Keck with guest Dr. Ray Guarendi: "Maybe some couple will decide for adoption, because of something they've read or heard here" Dr. Guarendi comments during his Bookmark interview with host Doug Keck. Adoption: Choosing It, Living It, Loving It dispels myths about adoption, guides parents after an adoption to a more relaxed, rew […]
Hosted by Raymond Arroyo with guest Msgr. Swetland, Fr. Charles Connor, Fr. Sirico: The Bishops of the United States tackled and concluded a variety of tough issues from the new translation of the Latin Missal to Marriage and some of the toughest life issues facing the world today.
Daniel 7: 15 - 27 15 I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its sheath of flesh, and I was terrified by the visions of my mind. 16 I approached one of those present and asked him what all this meant in truth; in answer, he made known ...
Daniel 7: 2 - 14 2 In the vision I saw during the night, suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea, 3 from which emerged four immense beasts, each different from the others. 4 The first was like a lion, but with ...
Daniel 6: 12 - 28 12 So these men rushed in and found Daniel praying and pleading before his God. 13 Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: "Did you not decree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or ...
Daniel 5: 1 - 6, 13 - 14, 16 - 17, 23 - 28 1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, with whom he drank. 2 Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his ...
Daniel 2: 31 - 45 31 "In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you. 32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs bronze, ...
Daniel 1: 1 - 6, 8 - 20 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem. 2 The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of ...
Daniel 7: 13 - 14 13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, 14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples ...
1 Maccabees 6: 1 - 13 1 King Antiochus was going through the upper provinces when he heard that Elymais in Persia was a city famed for its wealth in silver and gold. 2 Its temple was very rich, containing golden shields, breastplates, and weapons left there by ...
1 Maccabees 4: 36 - 37, 52 - 59 36 Then said Judas and his brothers, "Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it." 37 So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion. 52 ...
1 Maccabees 2: 15 - 29 15 Then the king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. 16 Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. 17 Then the king's officers ...
The Holy Family in Nazareth is our model, let us imitate their thankfulness, thankfulness even in poverty and trials. Ave Maria! To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=8728
http://www.holyland-pilgrimage.org During the month of may 2009 Pope benedict XVI visited the Holy Land. This clip shows the places his holiness visited in the Holy Land, as well as a summry of his messages to the world during his visit.
Fr. Bonaventure teaches us to not be afraid of this world but let us keep our eyes focused on Christ as we enter the season of anticipation for His coming, Advent. Ave Maria! 1: Dan 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28 R: Dan 3:62-67 G: Lk 21:12-19 To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=8683
From the inception of his pro-life work, Fr. Frank Pavone of Priest for Life has been urging the mass media to show the American people what an abortion is. Abortion is a reality which is so horrific that words alone can never convey its meaning. Warning - This video is very graphic.
RomanticCatholic.com Presents:"A little Background on the Holy Rosary" it show where it came from and the great benefits of this devotion, narrated by The Mary Foundation
Prepare for Mass – The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph – YEAR B – 12/28/2008
Hear the readings See the readings
The doorway to which God’s covenants are received is through the family. God blessed families beginning with the first family Adam and Eve. He offered the promise to Abram that his descendants will be as the stars in the sky, and then blessed his wife Sarah with a child after she had been barren so many years. Then there was the Holy Family of Nazareth who were blessed to raise Jesus.
Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple as was their custom to offer either two turtle doves or two young pigeons. Simeon, who was waiting to die greeted them at the temple, bore witness to the child, blessed him and said “let your servant go in peace”. Simeon also accurate in predicting when speaking to Mary that “this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Anna was also there to witness this spending her time in fasting and giving thanks to God.
The family has an important role as the basic cell in society. Catholic men and women who are called into the Sacrament of Marriage have the duty to welcome children into the family and to have these children baptised.
Catechism 405 – Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam’s descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it; subject to ignorance, suffering, and the dominion of death; and inclined to sin—an inclination to evil that is called “concupiscence.” Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, erases original sin and turns a man back toward God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle.
The spiritual battle is fought together starting in the family that God has called you into and stretching outward to the rest of the world.
St Paul in Col 3:12-17 says to:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Jesus Mary and Joseph are the Holy Family. We are asked to live our lives like the holy family. Mother Teresa comments on how to live life as the holy family with a clean heart.
Merry Christmas. Praise be to Jesus Christ now and forever.
The miracle of Christmas is far too important to celebrate for just a single day. The Christmas story needs to be experienced and reflected on for entire seasons. To fully experience Christmas takes an entire lifetime on this earth and into eternity.
The Church begins to prepare for Christmas during Advent. This is a time when we set aside a few weeks to prepare the way for Jesus birth. After Christmas day the Church continues to celebrate for a few weeks allowing what we just experienced to take root.
While we are still living, it is a time to prepare for our ultimate destination, heaven. Our life of faith is a journey. This journey is full of unexpected events, pitfalls, hardships, and disappointments. Fortunately, along the way we experience dull reflections of the happiness in store for those of us willing to stay the course.
The birth of Christ at the first Christmas was not the beginning of the second person of God. The word was with God. God has no beginning and no end. At Christmas the word became flesh and came to meet us. Thanks to the coming of Jesus at Christmas, the law of God that once was written on stone tablets is now written on our hearts. Dwelling among us, God is so close to us and has a relationship with us.
It is amazing to think about the dimensions of God. In himself God is a society. He is one, but, at the same time three distinct persons who are not complete without each other. The works of creation can remind us of the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It has been observed that a family with the husband, wife, and children are but a faint reflection of the properties of God. Our capacity to love is dependent upon our entering into the source of love that is God. If there is to be order of the universe, each part of God’s creation must align to the purposes of its creation.
The word becoming flesh and dwelling among us is in itself an incredible sign of contradiction. To enter into the love of God presents such challenges for us. This Jesus born in such humble circumstances for the single purpose of dying to expiate sins of all humanity calls us to enter into his sacrifice. The Sacraments that we as Catholics receive by our own choice, or that of our parents, require a sacrifice that changes us in a radical way. The changes we experience are truly causes of division. When the Son of God was on earth, he was killed and his followers suffered, many being killed themselves. The word of God is still with us and many Christians to this day are still persecuted.
Each year, when the season comes, we are asked by God to experience the incarnation anew and to allow the baby Jesus to grow in our souls from ‘cradle to cross’ and from ‘cross to grave’. The journey takes us to many places we don’t want to go and sometimes while on our own we regret going there. But, knowing that God brings order to the disorder that life can be if left on our own, makes life a little more worth living. Knowing that God is closer to us than we can ever imagine, can make the difficult journey a little easier to bear.
Yes, God is here with us and throughout our lives he is ever so gently nudging us to enter into his love. He wants us to know and do his will. The journey we are on is the quest to know and do his will. This is the journey of a lifetime and is precisely why Christmas is far too big to fit into one day.
Christmas has finally come.
I thought it might be good to remember the birth of Jesus in the random lyrics of some of our favorite Christmas music.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
All I want for Christmas is you, Baby (Jesus)
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
How silently, oh how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
Wonderful Counselor
Lord of Life, Lord of All
He is the Prince of Peace,
Mighty God, Holy One
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
During Advent we prepare to receive the gifts of peace, joy, and happiness which Christmas brings. We have hope that something once lost might one day be found. Hope and where we find it is what we reflect on during the 4th Sunday of Advent. The Christmas story tells us, God can be found in the most unexpected places. Some of us will find him while grieving the loss of a loved one. We may find him after realizing that the way we are leading our lives will not end in the happiness, joy, and peace we are seeking. There is great hope in knowing that no matter what happens, God will have his way with us, if we let him abide in us.
From whom do we find this hope? Jesus IS this HOPE. Who is this Jesus? Faith tells us that our God is truly eternal - one in three distinct persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son along with the Father and Spirit had no beginning and will have no end. The Christmas story is the manifestation of everlasting love. The Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier are in their very existence true love. True love is a somebody and we know him as God, the single source of never ending peace, joy, and happiness.
Where is Jesus? God’s true abode is heaven. But, he wants to make a permanent dwelling place within us. Where is God? He is among us. God is with us. We may even find him in places that we never expect him to be. God knows where to find us. He never stops searching us out. He saves us from that final damnation which is the fate of those who choose not to dwell with the God who loves them.
The Ark of the Old Covenant resided in the temporal structure of a tent. God chose to use Mary as the vessel to carry the New Covenant. Surely Mary wasn’t expecting God through his angel to ask her to be the vessel from which the Savior of the world would meet mankind. Certainly she had questions on how this could be, but never doubted for an instant. Mary’s faith led her to believe that with God all things are possible. She knew that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). And so she told God yes through the angelic messenger and the rest is history. Mary humbly accepted her role as the Ark of the New Covenant offering her womb to be the place where the Second Person of God prepared to meet his people. The place that God chose for the Savior of the world to be born was totally unexpected. Mary and Joseph did not have a place to stay when the Jesus was born. Being the Creator of the universe, we cannot presume that God didn’t foresee the events that led Jesus to be born in a stable. God chose to dwell among his people as a humble servant, rather than how the world would view a king. Just as Mary was asked, so too we are asked if we want him to dwell inside us.
We pray that we’re prepared to allow him to make a dwelling place within us. May the peace of Christ be with you this Christmas and always.
Merry Christmas.
Here are some videos courtesy of some faithful servants…
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant
The Birth of Jesus
Merry Christmas Everyone By Shakin’ Stevens
Looney Tunes “Jingle Bells” Sing-A-Long
The Christmas Song sung by Nat King Cole
Father Ted Tyler Reflects on the Gospel of the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Prepare for Mass – Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 21, 2008