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December 30, 2017 The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas Reading 1 1 Jn 2:12-17 I am writing to you, children,because your sins have been forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers,because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men,because you have conquered the Evil One. I write to you, children,because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers,because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men,because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,and you have...

Sick of tinsel, carols and talk of virgin birth? In New Zealand, Australia and many other countries, it’s hard to escape Christmas in December. But even if you don’t believe in Christ or a God, religion can still be a powerful force. Research shows that even nonreligious people may hold unconscious beliefs linked to religion that can affect their psychology. By many measures, religion in Australia, New Zealand and the USA is declining – but Christianity still shapes the culture and politics of these societies, from the holidays celebrated to values officially endorsed. It’s not that surprising that religious symbols...

December 29, 2017 The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas Reading 1 1 Jn 2:3-11 Beloved:The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandmentsis a liar, and the truth is not in him.But whoever keeps his word,the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked. Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to youbut an...

Was the Star that Guided the Magi a Natural or Supernatural Occurrence? Msgr. Charles Pope • December 27, 2017 • As we continue our survey of teachings on the birth of our Lord from St. Thomas Aquinas, today we consider the mysterious star that led the Magi to Christ. In recent decades there has been a strong tendency to seek a natural explanation for this phenomenon. Some speculate that it was in fact a comet or the appearance of several planets close together in the night sky. While not necessarily incorrect, these explanations are largely set aside by St....

December 28, 2017 Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs Reading 1 1 Jn 1:5—2:2 Beloved:This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christand proclaim to you:God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.If we say, "We have fellowship with him," while we continue to walk in darkness,we lie and do not act in truth.But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,then we have fellowship with one another,and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.If we say, "We are without sin,"we deceive ourselves, and the...

(Reuters) - Snow piled up in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday after two days of record-breaking snowfall that had already surpassed 5 feet (1.5 meters), breaking city and state records, according to the National Weather Service. Though residents are used to winter snow squalls blowing in from adjacent Lake Erie, which straddles the border with Canada, the Christmas storm is already one for the ages. "This is an incredible amount of snow that we're trying to move," the Erie Police Department said in statement after the city declared a "snow emergency" on Tuesday, imploring people to stay off the streets.

Some Questions About the Birth of Christ You May Not Have Thought to Ask Msgr. Charles Pope • December 26, 2017 • Nativity with Saints Bernard and Thomas Aquinas, by Francesco di Giorgio MartiniDuring Christmas week we do well to ponder certain questions about the Incarnation and birth of our Lord. The questions are taken from St. Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica. St. Thomas’s answers are presented in italics, while my inferior commentary appears in red text.Whether Christ was born at a fitting time? (Summa Theologica III, q. 35, art. 8)There is this difference between Christ and other men, that,...

Spreading that Christmas cheer. For this 6 year old boy, he got a BB gun from his grandfather. They took him out to shoot and nailed a shot at the milk carton on the first try. The look on his face is priceless, have a look. Sportsmen tradition is thriving well and its great to see this passion is being passed on down from generation to generation. I’m sure we were all like this when we first shot our first BB gun. Take a look at this priceless bb gun video here.

December 27, 2017 Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist Reading 1 1 Jn 1:1-4 Beloved:What was from the beginning,what we have heard,what we have seen with our eyes,what we looked uponand touched with our handsconcerns the Word of life —for the life was made visible;we have seen it and testify to itand proclaim to you the eternal lifethat was with the Father and was made visible to us— what we have seen and heardwe proclaim now to you,so that you too may have fellowship with us;for our fellowship is with the Fatherand with his Son, Jesus Christ.We are...

Why is it that liberals are apparently the only ones able to pick up on “dog whistles?” Don Lemon took issue with President Trump’s pledge to fight the “assault” on Christmas by “saying Merry Christmas again.” The “CNN Tonight” host accused the president’s remarks on Christmas of being laden with covert racist appeals to his base.

Melania Trump wished fans a Merry Christmas with a Santa-themed selfie that flatlined on social media. (snip) The photo depicted Melania with a surprised facial expression that some called “duck face,” “disgraceful,” and too sexy.

Hallelujah- Lindsey Stirling- #aSaviorIsBorn Lovely Christmas music

A Christmas toy giveaway in Detroit, Michigan, devolved into a massive brawl Saturday night, leading to the arrest of one woman, police said. WXYZ reports that the brawl took place at the Tower Center Mall on Detroit’s west side Saturday around 7 p.m. after a crowd gathered to attend a toy giveaway for inner-city children. Several hundred people gathered inside the building before the fights broke out. Police said they deployed strike force units to tame the crowd once it got unruly. The event’s organizer, John Cromer, said he did not intend for his event to become violent. “People are...

The Unholy Alliance's propaganda train is never late. Jennifer Williams is a great enthusiast not just for Christmas,  but for the Muslim Jesus, about whom she is sure you have never heard, and she’s here to enlighten you: Christmas, as everyone knows, commemorates the birth of Jesus and is a major religious celebration for Christians around the world. But what many people don’t know is that Jesus is an important figure in Islam, too, even though most Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas (though some, especially some American Muslims, do). Actually, by now many Infidels all over the Western world do know...

Why Is Christmas Considered a Nighttime Event? Msgr. Charles Pope • December 25, 2017 • O Holy night! Yes, a silent night! And it came upon a midnight clear! Christmas, it would seem, is a festival of the middle of the night. Jesus is born when it is dark, dark midnight. We are sure of it. And why shouldn’t we be?Even though we are not told the exact hour of His birth, we are sure it must have been at night. Scripture does say that the Shepherds who heard the glad tidings were keeping watch over their flock “by...

Charles Schulz insisted on one core purpose: A ...Charlie Brown Christmas had to be about something. Namely, the true meaning of Christmas. Otherwise, Schulz said, “Why bother doing it?” To Coca-Cola’s credit, Mendelson says, the corporate sponsor never balked at the idea of including New Testament passages. The result — Linus’s reading from the Book of Luke about the meaning of the season — became “the most magical two minutes in all of TV animation,” the producer says....

The geese, making their escape just before Christmas dinnerChristmas day was a yuge celebration of life with Raj’s family, and by yuge I mean 44 of us representing 3 generations all gathered at what used to be Dad’s house. Of course the 3 generational gathering was a little bittersweet as last year’s celebration included a fourth generation. But life marches on, and now we are the older generation. If we can manage to pass on a modicum of the Greatest Generation’s wisdom I think the world will be okay.  Now get about your Boxing Day chores and festivities. I think...

    ~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: Christmas With Our TroopsThe Defense Logistics Agency provided more than 200,000 pounds of turkey, ham, shrimp, and other foodstuffs, including more than 6,500 pounds of marshmallows. In total, DLA Troop Support provided troops deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, and Kuwait.Actor and U.S. veterans’ advocate Gary Sinise is visiting American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq this week ahead of the Christmas holiday. The 62-year-old Criminal Minds star and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation posted photos from his trip to Afghanistan this week, where he joined troops and medical staff at Bagram...

After having packages repeatedly stolen from his porch, a Tacoma, Washington, man came up with a creative way to deter would-be thieves. At first, Jaireme Barrow installed surveillance cameras. However, he told CNN’s Michael Smerconish on Saturday that no arrests were ever made despite footage of “at least 20” suspected thieves in action. That’s when he decided to take matters into his own hands. His solution? An invention he calls TheBlankBox, which features a loud 12 gauge-shotgun blank. “It’s a blank triggering mechanism, only one moving piece,” Barrow told Smerconish. “Unless you count the guy running off your front porch,...

December 26, 2017 Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr Reading 1 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 Stephen, filled with grace and power,was working great wonders and signs among the people.Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,and people from Cilicia and Asia,came forward and debated with Stephen,but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. When they heard this, they were infuriated,and they ground their teeth at him.But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,looked up intently to heavenand saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,and he said,"Behold,...