Free Republic

14 December 20253rd Sunday of Advent Saint John-of-the-Cross Vero Beach, FloridaReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Rose or Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 35:1-6,10God himself is coming to save youLet the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,let it rejoice and sing for joy.The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it,the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;they shall see the glory of the Lord,the splendour of our God.Strengthen all weary hands,steady all trembling kneesand say to all faint hearts,‘Courage! Do not be afraid.‘Look, your God is coming,vengeance is coming,the retribution of God;he is coming...

The prophet Isaiah wrote: “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap” (Isa. 17:1). “And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.” It is not hard to find commentators that say this prophecy has been fulfilled, but because Damascus has been destroyed so many times, there is much doubt about who fulfilled it and when it happened. There are others who believe it has never been fulfilled...

For my more seasoned readers, let’s say you could travel back in time and revisit a moment in your life. You’re not going back to change the past, but simply to sit as a silent guest and listen in on a conversation you might have had back then. Let’s say you decide to go back to the year 1993 when you and a friend are in a restaurant having lunch. At some point the conversation steers into the signs of the times and when you think the Lord will return. Your friend might mention the fact that the year 1993...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #2 of 33 GABRIEL'S AMAZING NEWS FOR ZECHARIAH L U K E CHAPTER 1 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he...

I can't find nor see/understand anything unscriptural about this message and couldn't wait to attempt to re-publish a timely and critical message that I (for one) have never heard another man propose, yet . . . . it is something I have suspected since I was saved in 1981.Pastor Hibbs has the gift of communication in very understandable language.I woke up this morning and this is what I heard . . . .

13 December 2025 Saint Lucy, Virgin, Martyr on Saturday of the 2nd week of AdventSt. Lucy’s Roman Catholic Church Syracuse, NYReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Red. Year: A(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingEcclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12The prophet Elijah will come againThe prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch.It was he who brought famine on the people, and who decimated them in his zeal.By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire.How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason...

Are we witnessing an unprecedented cultural shift in America? Jack Hibbs sounds the alarm about the rapid growth of Islam and its impact on politics, law, and everyday life from city councils to national headlines. Is America undergoing an expected awakening or an invasion nobody saw coming? Video is 3:39 minutes long.

Friday 12 December 2025 Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast 19th-century church of the Church of Ireland at the ancient monastic site of St. Finian, Clonard, County Meath, Ireland Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: A(II).First readingZechariah 2:14-17'I am coming', says the LordSing, rejoice,daughter of Zion;for I am comingto dwell in the middle of you– it is the Lord who speaks.Many nations will join the Lord,on that day;they will become his people.But he will remain among you,and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you.But the Lord will hold Judahas his portion in the Holy...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #1 of 33 JESUS' VERY INTERESTING GENEALOGY MATTHEW 1 & LUKE 3 Derived from LUKE, Chapter 3: Adam by MICHELANGELO "The Creation of Adam" Seth "Patriarch Seth" Enosh by ROBERT BARRETT "Enosh Praying" Methuselah "Methuselah" Noah by JAMES EDWIN MCCONNELL "Noah's Ark" Shem by JAMES TISSOT "Shem, Ham and Japheth" Quoted from MATTHEW, Chapter 1: A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, by WEYLON SMITH "Abraham and Stars" Isaac the father of Jacob, "Abraham & Isaac" Jacob the father of Judah...

A Chicago-area church has updated its already controversial nativity scene following damage from vandalism and inclement weather, removing Joseph, the father of Jesus, and replacing him with a memorial to those who have been affected by raids and arrests conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Lake Street Church of Evanston, Illinois, made headlines earlier this holiday season with a nativity scene that depicts baby Jesus as lying in a manger with his hands zip-tied together. The infant is wrapped in what appears to be an emergency blanket. Mary and Joseph are standing near the manger wearing gas...

A primary school teacher was reportedly banned from working with children after telling a Muslim child that “Britain is still a Christian state.” Police were called to investigate an alleged hate crime, after the teacher reprimanded students for washing their feet in the sinks of the boys’ toilets, according to The Telegraph. The teacher, who did not want to be named, reportedly pointed to the fact that the King was the head of the Church of England and that Islam was a minority religion in the UK. The school sacked the teacher in February, after suspending him in March 2024....

Most Americans have never heard the name Enoch Burke, but they should—because his story is quietly becoming one of the most important religious liberty cases in the Western world. Burke is an Irish schoolteacher, a Christian, and the kind of man whose convictions are not negotiable, even when the entire cultural machine demands otherwise. In 2022, he was ordered by the administration of Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath to use transgender pronouns for a student. Burke refused, not out of spite, but because his faith does not allow him to affirm what he believes is false. That refusal set...

11 December 2025 Thursday of the 2nd week of Advent Basilica di San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura, rebuilt by Pope Damasus IReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 41:13-20I, the Holy One of Israel, am your redeemerI, the Lord, your God,I am holding you by the right hand;I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid,I will help you.’Do not be afraid, Jacob, poor worm,Israel, puny mite.I will help you – it is the Lord who speaks –the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.See, I turn you into a threshing-sled,new, with doubled teeth;you shall thresh and crush the mountains,and...

10 December 2025Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent High altar of the martyrdom basilica of Santa Eulalia in Mérida (Badajoz, Spain)Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 40:25-31The Lord strengthens the powerless‘To whom could you liken meand who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.Lift your eyes and look.Who made these starsif not he who drills them like an army,calling each one by name?So mighty is his power, so great his strength,that not one fails to answer.How can you say, Jacob,how can you insist, Israel,‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord,my rights are ignored by my...

9 December 2025 Tuesday of the 2nd week of Advent St. Juan Diego Catholic Church - Portland, Oregon Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 40:1-11Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem‘Console my people, console them’says your God.‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalemand call to herthat her time of service is ended,that her sin is atoned for,that she has received from the hand of the Lorddouble punishment for all her crimes.’A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wildernessa way for the Lord.Make a straight highway for our Godacross the desert.Let every valley be filled in,every mountain and hill be laid...

Monday 8 December 2025 The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Solemnity St. Eucharius in Baden-Baden-BalgReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: A(II).First readingGenesis 3:9-15,20The mother of all those who liveAfter Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with...

A majority of pastors are now using artificial intelligence to prepare their sermons, with ChatGPT and Grammarly reported as the top two AI tools, new survey data shows. "ChatGPT is the most visible generative AI tool that can engage in human-like conversations and assist with a wide range of tasks, from answering questions to generating content," researchers wrote in "The 2025 State of AI in the Church Survey Report" prepared by AiForChurchLeaders.com and Exponential AI NEXT. "As the most popular AI tool among church leaders (26%), ChatGPT is being used for applications such as sermon preparation, research, and crafting church...

7 December 2025 2nd Sunday of AdventSt. Ambrose Catholic Church, Elkton, FLReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 11:1-10A shoot springs from the stock of JesseA shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,a scion thrusts from his roots:on him the spirit of the Lord rests,a spirit of wisdom and insight,a spirit of counsel and power,a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)He does not judge by appearances,he gives no verdict on hearsay,but judges the wretched with integrity,and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.His...

7 Ancient Tactics Resurfacing in the Last Days Introduction: Ancient Patterns in a Modern World Long before the Flood reshaped the world, humanity was caught in a cosmic crossfire. The Bible paints a world spiraling toward judgment—not because of primitive ignorance, but because of strategic, coordinated spiritual warfare carried out by fallen angels. What unfolded in those pre-Flood days was not myth or superstition, but a calculated assault on God’s design and the destiny of humanity. Genesis 6 provides only a glimpse, but enough to reveal the enemy’s playbook. Jesus sharpened the warning by telling us: “For the coming of...

A group called “Endless Highway” recently sang at the church I attend. One of the founding members (now retired) was asked to sing, and he chose a song called “I Won’t Have to Worry Anymore.” The lyrics go like this: Verse 1 Down here, my burden’s heavy And the road seems rough and long Sometimes my feet grow weary and so slow But a brighter day is coming; soon I’ll step on heaven’s shore And I won’t have to worry anymore Chorus Verse 2 Someday, when life is over, and I’ve said my last goodbye I’ll see my Savior standing...