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Archive for the ‘Advent’ Category

The hope of the Gospel goes far beyond Snow White (full text)

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Photo of Fr. Brankin. Go to Fr. Brankin's bio3rd Sunday in Advent, Dec. 11, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: John 1:6-8; 19-28 “Make straight the way of the Lord”

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(Full sermon text) It was many years ago that I took a trip to Rome. It was kind of a working trip. I had been asked to make a large bronze statue that is called a “relief.” Now a relief is a sort of a huge sculpted wall plaque with faces and figures coming out and receding. Some of the figures come out as if they were stepping out of the wall—others are very lightly sculpted against the surface.

Go to the Georgetown Visitation.The twin apostolates of prayer and the education of young women are pursued by the Visitation Sisters of Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

Are you called to religious life? Consider a life with the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Washington, DC.

Now, there are many artistic problems when you make a relief. It is two-dimensional and three-dimensional at the same time. So what I hoped to accomplish on this trip was to visit as many the churches as I could and study as closely as possible all the many “reliefs” that I knew were in those churches.

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Let us be humble like Mary, to prepare for Jesus’ birth

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Read Fr. Baldeon's bio

Fourth Sunday in Advent, Dec. 18, 2011
Fr. Elvio Baldeon Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 “Let it be to me according to your word.”

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Homily summary: On this last Sunday in Advent, we have two characters in the readings. One is David the King. He conquered many lands, and was successful as a king. He wanted to build a home, a building, for God, but He refused. God saw his pride and said it was I who gave you everything.

Picture of St. Jane de Chantal. Click and go to Visitation website.The Visitation Order holds hidden treasures and resources for serious seekers of a deeply interior spiritual life. Hear 8 free MP3s on the spirituality of the Order of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary on our website.

The other character, Mary, had a humble heart. She did not have pride. God is calling us to be his mother, in a spiritual sense. He said, “My mother and brothers and sisters are those who do my will.” This Christmas, let us take on Mary’s thinking: “Let it be done according to his will.” God presents his mother as an example for us.

Go to all sermons of Fr. Baldeon.

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The hope of the Gospel goes far beyond Snow White

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

Photo of Fr. Brankin. Go to Fr. Brankin's bio3rd Sunday in Advent, Dec. 11, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: John 1:6-8; 19-28 “Make straight the way of the Lord”

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Full homily text

Homily summary: In the churches in Rome, there is often a smile in the bas relief artwork that you see. This is because there is a smile in the hearts of those depicted. How do the stories of Christianity differ from the fairy tale stories, such as that of Pinocchio, or Snow White? These fairy tails may teach us lessons about life, but they don’t fulfill us with, or cause us, joy.

Go to the Dominican Sisters' websiteDo you ever wonder, “To what kind of life is God calling me?” or “How can I know God’s will?” or “Am I being called to religious life?” See our video, “Take one step at a time and become a Dominican Sister” on our website of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and see what awaits those who are called by God in this special way.

See the joy of those in the various stages of becoming a sister: aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate, and profession.

But stories of the faith touch our lives and fill them. The lives of the saints, the stories of the Gospels change us because they are real; they give us hope. Hope confirms in our hearts that there’s more to our life than this life. This hope is a person — is Jesus, born for us on Christmas. No wonder we’re so happy.

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Reject the orgy of greed — Christmas is about giving

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

Photo of Fr. Brankin. Go to Fr. Brankin's bio2nd Sunday in Advent, Dec. 4, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8 “A baptism of repentance”

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Homily summary: The world rejects Christmas and Christianity. Some day all they will allow us to do is worship in this building.

Go to Sister Anna's Facebook page.The twin apostolates of prayer and the education of young women are pursued by the Visitation Sisters of Georgetown.

Are you searching for God’s calling?

Consider a life with the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Washington, DC.

People say only “Happy Holidays.” The banks sponsor a Winter Wonderfest in Chicago, whatever that is. These ideas are driven by anti-Catholic and anti-Christian beliefs. The old Christmas was about the baby Jesus. But the merchants today want us to believe that we measure love by how much people give us; the purchase of more things bring us a happier life.

Christmas is about kind words, about children hugging one another, as well as moms and dads, and going to church. It’s not about things, but about grace.

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This Advent, turn down the electronics

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Photo of Fr. Joseph Eddy. Go to Fr. Joseph's bio.2nd Sunday in Advent, Sun., Dec. 4, 2011
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8 “A baptism of repentance”

Full homily text: We certainly live in a unique time in human history don’t we? Technology is changing faster today than most of us can keep up with. Take, for example our means of social communication. Who would have known what Facebook or Twitter was 10 years ago? Yet now these are so commonplace. And what about texting? For many sending short abbreviated phrases to each other via the phone or computer is a common means of communication.

Blessed Virgin Mary of MercyFr. Joseph Eddy is the vocation director of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, founded to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger. The Order’s student house in the U.S. is in Philadelphia.

Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph’s Facebook page, or the website of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

Of course all of this has had a huge an impact on our lives, because it defines how we relate to one another and how we spend our time. The danger is that communication and/or relationships become superficial, further isolating us from others. Also, there is a danger of an addiction developing to these means of communication. We must always be doing something. Our devices are always close at hand. We are always at work or always doing. We are never just being or listening to God and others.

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