Readings for January 6, 2013: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Up until now, all has been quite humble. A donkey-ride to a dusty town south of Jerusalem. Hotel rooms all booked up. Giving birth in a stable and…
The Coming of the Magi
Give the Gift of Epiphany
The end of the Christmas season is upon us. We first waited and prayed, preparing ourselves for the coming of our Lord at Christmas. We celebrated with friends and family with great joy, attended our favorite Mass, praised our children’s…
I Confess
A friend of mine, a believing Catholic, told me he hasn’t been to Confession in a long time. After all, God forgives sins, so there’s really no need to go to a priest. If people need the emotional crutch of…
The Importance of the Incarnation for the New Evangelization
The great solemn feast of Christ’s Birth, and thus the entrance of God’s Son into human history, coincides with the Winter Solstice. The Epiphany of God’s Revelation to his people, the light to all the nations, coincides with deep dark…
Our Number One Priority
What’s the most important thing you want to give your children? A college education? A generous inheritance? How about eternal happiness in heaven with God? Consider what is absolutely the most important thing in your children’s lives. When…
A Reason, a Season, a Lifetime
“People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.” As the Christmas season gives way to Valentine’s Day and Lent approaches, how do we relate to our friends? During this season, new people bump into our…
Reflecting on 2012
As 2012 comes to a close, what will we remember about this year? Before we move onto 2013, let’s take some time reflecting on 2012. Remembering 2012 The HHS Mandate took center stage early in the year, the USCCB held…
Feast of the Holy Family
Readings for December 30, 2012: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Every year right after Christmas, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. There is an important reason for this. It’s easy to think the…
On the Necessity of Heaven
“You only believe in God because you want to go to Heaven.” This is the basic accusation leveled at many believers in this skeptical age. Heaven is the ultimate wish fulfillment fantasy. As Karl Marx called it, it is the…
Evangelizing in the Face of Dissent
“I’m hesitant to evangelize, because I know that I’ll have to steer new Catholics so carefully, just to keep them away from the all the dissent within the Church.” That’s what one faithful Catholic confided, when I brought up the…