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CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #13 of 33 NO ROOM AT THE INN L U K E CHAPTER 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged...

Wednesday 24 December 2025 24 December San Gregorio Maggiore, Spoleto, Italy Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First reading2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before meOnce David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’ But that very night...

Every year there comes this time of year where folks gather together and celebrate. Celebrate what you might ask. Well, Christmas, Holidays, Family, Friends, Life, or whatever else folks these days celebrate. There's always the handful of people who are left out however. The isolated. The excluded. The ostracized. The scrooges. The depressed. The loners. Those down on their luck. Etc. And let's face it, it's not just a handful anymore - there are a lot of people out there who are barely hanging on in life. Whether it be for health reasons, financial reasons, destroyed relationships, addictions of all...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #12 of 33 JOSEPH AND MARY TRAVEL TO BETHLEHEM L U K E CHAPTER 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #11 of 33 SHOULD JOSEPH MARRY MARY? M A T T H E W CHAPTER 1 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and...

Tuesday 23 December 2025 23 December (optional commemoration of Saint John of Kęty, Priest) Chicago, ILReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingMalachi 3:1-4,23-24Before my day comes, I will send you Elijah my prophetThe Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he...

During this Christmas season, it’s good to take a look at what the true meaning of the birth of Christ was. It was not only God being born on earth, although it certainly was that. The birth of Jesus, in fact, was the restoration of the divine Kingdom on earth, with the King of Kings renewing the line of King David and King Solomon. This is important to know, since there are a lot of people in the world today who think that Jesus will only establish His kingdom at His Second Coming. In fact, it was established 2,000 years...

1. Israel brought back a second time (Isaiah 11:11) It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. Isaiah 11:11 Isaiah foretold a second regathering of Israel distinct from the return from Babylon. The first scattering occurred from 605 to 586BC by the Babylonians The first regathering happened after the Babylonian captivity, beginning in 538-37BC The second scattering occurred in...

This week Chile elected the devout Catholic and father of nine José Antonio Kast to serve as the country’s 35th president. He will take office on 11 March 2026 after a decisive run off victory that has redrawn the country’s political map. He won the second round on 14 December with 58.16 per cent of the vote, defeating Jeannette Jara and reversing his first round placing a month earlier. Kast framed the election as a national turning point, telling supporters in Santiago during his election speech: “It’s a special day. It’s a day that stays with us, a day that...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #10 of 33 SHOULD JOSEPH MARRY MARY? M A T T H E W CHAPTER 1 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 1 JAMES TISSOT "The Anxiety of Saint Joseph" But after he had considered this, an angel of the...

Monday 22 December 202522 December Mother Cabrini Church, Manhattan Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First reading1 Samuel 1:24-28This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord.When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I...

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21 December 2025 4th Sunday of Advent St. Petrus Canisius, Friedrichshafen. GermanyReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 7:10-14The maiden is with childThe Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said:‘Listen now, House of David:are you not satisfied with trying the patience of menwithout trying the patience of my God, too?The Lord himself, therefore,will give you a sign.It is this: the maiden is...

One solitary birth is the basis upon which the future hangs for every person ever to enter this mortal realm we call planet Earth. How each man, woman, and child–who has reached the age of understanding salvation–views this visitation determines where their home will be for eternity. Many believe Jesus was sent by God to show us how to live a good life. Some think He was a great prophet and teacher. Others regard Him as a philosopher right up there with Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and the rest. A few among the billions who have lived since His birth have...

On Dec. 11, 2025, an Israeli official (Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council) visited the U.S. House of Rep. Speaker Mike Johnson at his office in Washington, D.C. Johnson told Dagan: I visited Samaria—both as a member of Congress before becoming speaker, and again last summer as speaker with a small group of colleagues. The Bible is clear: Judea and Samaria are the Land of Israel. Dagan told Johnson: No nation on earth has a connection to its homeland as deep as the Jewish people have to the Land of Israel—especially to Judea and Samaria, the land of...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #9 of 33 THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST L U K E CHAPTER 1 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 1 TINTORETTO "The Birth of John the Baptist" 2 ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI "Birth of St John the Baptist" 3 LUCA SIGNORELLI "The Birth of St John the Baptist" 4 DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIO "The Birth of St. John the Baptist" 5 JUAN DE FLANDES "The Birth and Naming of John...

Today is the Sabbath for Parshat Miketz (Genesis 41:1 - 44:17), which begins at the end of two full years when Pharaoh had a [doubled] dream.The parashah has the most letters (although not the most words or verses) of any of the weekly Torah portions in the Book of Genesis. It is made up of 7,914 Hebrew letters, 2,022 Hebrew words, 146 verses, and 255 lines in a Torah Scroll (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה‎, Sefer Torah)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiketzIn the printed books of the Torah, at the end of each parsha (comments re Pekudei) are mnemonic words or phrases (simanim) representing (via gematria) the number...

Saturday 20 December 2025 20 December Church of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Fontana di Trevi in Rome Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First readingIsaiah 7:10-14The maiden is with childThe Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said:‘Listen now, House of David:are you not satisfied with trying the patience of menwithout trying the patience of my God, too?The Lord himself, therefore,will give you...

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #8 of 33 MARY'S "MAGNIFICAT" PRAISES GOD L U K E CHAPTER 1 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and ELIZABETH WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the...

This is Part 2 of his Christmas messages. It's 57:52 minutes long