Spirituality
Preceding a business buzzword, Christ’s birth began something big
Gina Christian explains how “disruptive innovation” starts in either a low-end or a new market, appeals to overlooked customers, is considered inferior, doesn’t follow standard protocol and takes time to succeed. Sound familiar?
Christmas celebrates anew the birth of Jesus Christ
Our reflection on Christmas looks at the expression of the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord in the family and in the culture, and how it can lead to deeper discussions about living out an enfleshed faith in our lives today.
How the Christmas story points beyond itself
Without the story of the birth in Bethlehem of an infant named Jesus -- without his birth as a real child needing a place to sleep peacefully, as all babies do -- Christianity would be a very different kind of faith.
Create some new Christmas family traditions
A birthday cake for Jesus, made by the kids, is one of Kelly Bothum's favorite traditions because it makes Jesus totally relatable to her crazy family of five on Christmas morning. She offers four new family traditions.
At Christmas Eve Mass, a light shines in the darkness
The readings for the Mass juxtapose darkness and light, a theme replete with hope. Isaiah reflects God's promise of a Messiah using words we breathe in, we shout, we proclaim as we experience the great light of Christ.
Films to watch at Christmastime
With Christmas approaching, here are capsule reviews of some holiday-themed films that parents, teens and, in some cases, the whole family can enjoy together.
Christmas Eve in the Polish-American Catholic kitchen (Recipe included)
Cooking begins days before with the making of breads, cookies, soup stock, pickled herring and pierogi -- savory filled dumplings. The foods are meatless, following the old tradition of abstinence from meat on the eve before a major feast.
The Nativity through the eyes of St. Joseph
A journalist and father thinks about the radical idea that "Jesus became who he was not only because he was the Son of God, but because he was the son of a good man," and holds up St. Joseph as a model for all dads.
It’s not our gift but the act of our giving it
On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Msgr. Joseph Prior recalls a heartwarming Christmas story to reflect on what we bring to the altar of the Christ child’s crib, to the Savior who has given us everything.
Readings of the holy Mass – Fourth Sunday of Advent
Read or listen to the readings before Mass with the resources below from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.