Spirituality
Lives of faith, hope and joy prepare us for the Messiah
The third Sunday of Advent, or "Gaudete Sunday," invites us to recommit ourselves to the following the Lord, and to rejoice as we await his coming.
Readings of the Holy Mass – Third Sunday of Advent
Read or listen to the readings before Mass with these resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
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.