Spirituality
Third Sunday of Advent is time to rejoice
With only two weeks before Christmas and halfway through the penitential season of Advent, Christians take time to celebrate joy -- read two reflections and watch a n Advent video.
Say it again, St. Paul: ‘Rejoice!’
The Third Sunday of Advent speaks of the mixture of joy and sadness in life. The hymns of this season remind us of the promises already fulfilled in Jesus' coming, so we should reflect this joy in how we sing.
Ferris Bueller’s Advent prayer
Remember the line, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"? That 1986 movie reminds us to slow down as we get ready for Christmas by preparing to choose joy.
Confessing sins to a priest, who may be a sinner
Father Ken Doyle explains that even though no priest is perfect, he does administers the sacraments in good faith, including hearing confessions. And at any rate, it is Christ who acts with redeeming grace.
Consolation comes even in martyrdom, pope says
Just like the early Christian martyrs, who sang as they marched to their deaths in the Colosseum, today's martyrs still give witness to that same joy in the midst of suffering, the pope said in his homily.
Advent teaches how to stay watchful before Christmas, and all year
In this continuing series, two articles show how we can unplug from tech alerts to stay spiritually watchful, and how nature can help us do so. Also see related resources and prayers for the 2nd week of Advent.
Four ways to be more attentive this Advent
“Be watchful!” and “Be alert!” are two commands often heard by Catholics during Advent. How can we “be alert” for the coming of Christ when we are inundated with alerts on our phones? One priest tells how.
Reading the Advent season through nature
Advent is a season charged with excitement and beauty, immensely rich with imagery that conveys the power of the natural world through its liturgies. Watch for ways that nature can deepen your experience of this season of waiting.
In times of trouble, hold fast to God, Capuchin tells pope
When storm clouds gather and the Catholic Church is tossed by the scandalous behavior of some of its members, Catholics must repeat what St. Francis of Assisi repeated: "God is and that suffices," the preacher of the papal household told Pope Francis and his aides.
Faith and vigilance prepare us for Christ’s coming
The kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish may seem distant in a world filled with sin and suffering, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior. Yet hopeful waiting helps us to withstand life's storms.