This sacred season of Advent, while a time of joyful anticipation, is also a call to conversion and preparation of our hearts. As we reflect on the humble birth of Christ in Bethlehem, our thoughts naturally turn to the profound mystery of
What if we reframed the act of waiting -- as a gift?
There is a refining that happens when we wait. A transformation of our spirit. When we wait, we prepare. We gain experience. And there is a hope, that in that transformation,
As the Advent season unfolds, discover the call to rediscover our true home in Christ and the enduring impact of Mary's role in carrying the light of Christmas into the world.
This Advent, pray with the Ascension app, a new Bible and Catechism app from Catholic publisher Ascension. It features two podcasts by Father Mike Schmitz (produced by Ascension) along with the full text of the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic
Be ready for Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Advent! In Opening the Word, Catherine Cavadini reflects on familial longings. In the first reading, we learn the family of King David will be a “house” or a “dwelling place” for God. The
Reflect One of the most difficult lines in Scripture to hear, especially when you’re not really in the mood for it, is Saint Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always” (1 Thes 5:16). Does he really mean always? As in always always?
Cardinal Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household, gave the first of his 2023 Advent reflections to the pope and his aides Dec. 15, focusing on St. John the Baptist and the new evangelization. No Friday meditations were given the first two weeks
As Advent rapidly draws to a close, Catholic families are scrambling to prepare for Christmas while trying to maintain a spirit of solemn anticipation. Simcha Fisher shares her strategy for making Advent a season of anticipation rather than a month-long frenzy. Observing
REFLECT The Prophet Isaiah cries out, “Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” (Is 40:3). What does the verse mean? The second century Christian theologian Origen says, “The Lord wants to find in you a path by which he
Anyone who says Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours regularly recites the Magnificat from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Named for its first word in Latin, this canticle is one of only four places in the Gospels