In a dream, an angel told Joseph, “Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew […]
Gospel Reflection for December 22, Fourth Sunday of Advent Read More »
In the gospel of December 15, John the Baptist sends messengers, asking Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come? Or, are we to wait for another?” It’s a question for us. What are we waiting for? I wait for every day with a little contemplation. I have a rooster candle stand on our
What Are We Waiting For? Homily by Sister Joan Mitchell, CSJ Read More »
In Sunday’s gospel an angel challenges Joseph in a dream to trust God and remain true to Mary. Accepting a child he knew was not his must have challenged Joseph, but he chooses to trust in the words of the angel and protect Mary and Jesus from a life of poverty and insecurity. The song
Current Music and the Gospel: SPIRIT Xtra December 22 Read More »
In this week’s Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12), we read about John the Baptist preaching repentance in the desert and baptizing the throngs of people who came, acknowledging their sins. In case his readers and hearers miss the significance of this seemingly simply man, who dressed in camel’s hair and survived by eating locusts and wild honey,
Making Straight the Path Read More »
When John the Baptist heard in prison about the works Christ did, he sent a message by his disciples to ask, “Tell us, are you the one to come?” Matthew 11.2-3 In his ministry Jesus is not hacking dead branches off the family tree of Israel nor winnowing hypocrites from among repentant sinners as John
Gospel Reflection for December 15th: Third Sunday of Advent Read More »
In Sunday’s gospel, the followers of John the Baptist want to know if Jesus is the one John has told them about. Jesus praises John for how he has lived and preached. John was true to who he was and able to respond to God’s call in his life. “Burn” is a song about how
Current Music and the Gospel: SPIRIT Xtra for December 15 Read More »
John the Baptist speaks about Jesus, saying, “I baptize with water for the sake of reform, but the one who will follow me is more powerful than I. I am not even fit to carry his sandals. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3.11 Fierce and holy like the prophet
Gospel Reflection for December 8, 2013, Second Sunday of Advent Read More »
John the Baptist challenges the Pharisees and Sadducees to live lives that match the words they speak in this Sunday’s gospel. People in our world obsess with image. To live true to what we believe and who we really want to be is hard. The song “Red Hands” describes the challenge of being honest with
Current Music and the Gospel: December 8 SPIRIT Xtra Read More »
This coming Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, a relatively new feast in the two century-long history of the Catholic church. It was instituted in 1925 through the encyclical Quas Primas by Pope Pius XI, who believed that respect for Christ and Christ’s Church was waning due to the rise of secularism.
Feast of Christ the King Read More »