On this 4th Sunday of Advent our gospel is from St. Luke. It is the story of the Visitation of Mary (Luke 1:39-45). Immediately following the last verse (v.38) of the scene of the Annunciation we hear that, “Mary set out..in haste.” She does not go alone! For, “the Immaculate virgin…became the dwelling place of…

This third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as “Guadete Sunday” (Guadete is the Latin word for “rejoice”). Our first two readings this Sunday (Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Philippians 4:4-7) encourage us to praise God with joy in our hearts. In a prophetic burst of energy the Prophet, Zephaniah, exhorts us: “Shout for joy…sing joyfully…Be glad and…

Advent offers an invitation to contemplative intercessors to enter into the “desert of our hearts” through the disciplines of prayer, penance, silence and solitude. On this second Sunday of Advent, we hear of the desert in The Gospel of St. Luke: “The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert…A…

On this first Sunday of Advent we hear St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. This is the first letter he ever wrote to any of the Christian communities. Paul wrote this letter around the year A.D. 51—only eighteen years after Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and the sending forth of the holy Spirit at Pentecost.…

This is one of the rare years when both the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve are celebrated on the same calendar day of December 24th. The “night watch” of Advent (covenant promise) moves quickly this year into the “New Dawn” of Christmas (Christmas covenant) abruptly without a 4th week of Advent. I am…

Traditionally, the third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete” Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word which means “rejoice”. In Luke 1:28 we read, “Rejoice, full of grace.” The first word that the Father speaks to Mary through the angel, Gabriel, at the scene of the Annunciation is the word, “rejoice”. It is the first…

Each year on December 21st in the United States and the rest of the northern hemisphere the winter solstice occurs. It is the shortest day of the year with the least amount of daylight and the greatest amount of darkness. In the U.S., there are only about 9 ½ hours of daylight on this day.…

“People, Look East” is one of the songs that is sung during the liturgical season of Advent in the Catholic Church (“People, look East, and sing today: Love, the Guest, is on the way”—The Oxford Book of Carols, 1928). Traditionally in the Catholic Church mass was always celebrated—the Sacrifice of the Lamb was offered—while facing…

Perhaps the most well known Advent carol in the Catholic Church is, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. The word, Advent, means “coming”. The use of the double phrase, “O Come, O Come” in the song title reminds me of the twofold character of the season of Advent: 1) Remembering the first Coming of Jesus (the…

On this second Sunday of Advent we hear “a voice of one crying out in the desert” (Mark1:3). This is the voice of one who has been drawn into God’s “devouring passion”. God wishes to “devour” humanity with His Love. An intercessor “is one who is devoured by God. He forms one being with God”…