December 29th 2013 – Feast of the Holy Family
Listen Here! Saving Family Readings: Sirach 3:2-6,12-14 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 Colossians 3:12-21 Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 Underlying the wisdom offered in today’s Liturgy is the mystery of the family in God’s divine plan. The Lord has set father in honor over his children and mother in authority over her sons, we hear in today’s First Reading. As we sing in today’s Psalm, the blessings of the family flow from Zion, the heavenly mother of the royal people of God (see Isaiah 66:7,10-13; Galatians 4:26).
December 22nd 2013 – Fourth Sunday of Advent
Listen Here! God Is With Us Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14 Psalm 24:1-6 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-24 The mystery kept secret for long ages, promised through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, is today revealed (see Romans 16:25-26). This is the “Gospel of God” that Paul celebrates in today’s Epistle – the good news that “God is with us” in Jesus Christ.
December 8th 2013 – Second Sunday in Advent
Listen Here! Kingdom Come Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12 “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” John proclaims. And the Liturgy today paints us a vivid portrait of our new king and the shape of the kingdom He has come to bring
December 1st 2013 – First Sunday in Advent
Listen Here! In a Dark Hour Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122:1-9 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:37-44 Jesus exaggerates in today’s Gospel when He claims not to know the day or the hour when He will come again. He occasionally makes such overstatements to drive home a point we might otherwise miss (see Matthew 5:34; 23:9; Luke 14:26). His point here is that the exact “hour” is not important