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December 8, 2015 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Gn 3:9-15, 20 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”He answered, "I heard you in the garden;but I was afraid, because I was naked,so I hid myself."Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked?You have eaten, then,from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me,she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it."The...

O Antiphons – A Devotional Meditation Msgr. Charles Pope • December 6, 2015 • The Catholic Church has been singing the “O Antiphons" since about the 8th century. They were first composed as antiphons to accompany the singing of the Magnificat in Vespers of the Divine Office. They were composed for the last week of Advent, December 17th -- 23rd.They are a compact and beautiful theology that draws on biblical themes of the Old Testament. As such, they proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and hopes. They also express current longings rooted in those themes....

December 7, 2015 Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 Is 35:1-10 The desert and the parched land will exult;the steppe will rejoice and bloom.They will bloom with abundant flowers,and rejoice with joyful song.The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;They will see the glory of the LORD,the splendor of our God.Strengthen the hands that are feeble,make firm the knees that are weak,Say to those whose hearts are frightened:Be strong, fear not!Here is your God,he comes with vindication;With divine recompensehe comes to save you.Then will the eyes of...

Calling all Christians of the world: Starting on Tuesday, December 8, and carrying on through the rest of this Advent, take the words "Fall on your Knees, O hear the Angels' Voices" from the most profound 'O Holy Night,' literally Dateline: Valley of Tears-It’s Advent, when the Christian world awaits the coming of Christ. Everywhere, that is, except at the Vatican, where the Birth of the Christ Child is being forced into taking a back seat for a pagan ‘Light Show, ’ casting 3-D images of earth and animals onto the facade and cupola of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome....

December 6, 2015 Second Sunday of Advent Reading 1 Bar 5:1-9 Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;put on the splendor of glory from God forever:wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,bear on your head the mitrethat displays the glory of the eternal name.For God will show all the earth your splendor:you will be named by God foreverthe peace of justice, the glory of God's worship. Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;look to the east and see your childrengathered from the east and the westat the word of the Holy One,rejoicing that they are remembered by God.Led...

"Bear Fruits in Keeping with Repentance" (Luke 3:1-14) It's Advent. Advent is a season of hope and anticipation, as we look forward to our Lord's coming, both at Christmas and on the Last Day. But besides hope and anticipation, Advent is also a season of repentance. It is a penitential season. And this mood of repentance is also tied to our Lord's coming. For it is by repentance that we prepare the way of the Lord. Repentance is the proper preparation that befits the coming of our Lord. And not just a vague, nebulous feeling of repentance. But more than...

December 5, 2015 Saturday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1 Is 30:19-21, 23-26 Thus says the Lord GOD,the Holy One of Israel:O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,no more will you weep;He will be gracious to you when you cry out,as soon as he hears he will answer you.The Lord will give you the bread you needand the water for which you thirst.No longer will your Teacher hide himself,but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:"This is the way; walk in it,"when you would turn...

December 4, 2015 Friday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1 Is 29:17-24 Thus says the Lord GOD:But a very little while,and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,and the orchard be regarded as a forest!On that day the deaf shall hearthe words of a book;And out of gloom and darkness,the eyes of the blind shall see.The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.For the tyrant will be no moreand the arrogant will have gone;All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,those whose mere word...

Where Will You Be When the First Trumpet Sounds? A Good Question from an Advent Hymn Msgr. Charles Pope • December 2, 2015 • Part of the genius of the African-American spirituals is their ability to treat serious themes such as the final judgment in a creatively compelling manner that steers a middle course between unproductive fear and prideful presumption. Some of them are even playful: "I would not be a sinner. I'll tell you the reason why. I'm afraid my Lord might call my name and I wouldn't be ready to die!" Another spiritual says, "Satan wears a hypocrite's...

December 3, 2015 Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest Reading 1 Is 26:1-6 On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: "A strong city have we;he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.Open up the gatesto let in a nation that is just,one that keeps faith.A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;in peace, for its trust in you." Trust in the LORD forever!For the LORD is an eternal Rock.He humbles those in high places,and the lofty city he brings down;He tumbles it to the ground,levels it with the dust.It is trampled...

"A Righteous Branch" (Jeremiah 33:14-16) Yes, God did speak to his people of old by the prophets, and in many and various ways. And yes, now in these last days, God has spoken to us by his Son. But what I want us to do during this midweek Advent series is to see the connection between the two, namely, between how God spoke by his prophets and how God has spoken by his Son. There is a connection between the two. For those prophets of old, the Old Testament prophets, spoke of the coming of God's Son. They prophesied his...

December 2, 2015 Wednesday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1 Is 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hostswill provide for all peoplesA feast of rich food and choice wines,juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.On this mountain he will destroythe veil that veils all peoples,The web that is woven over all nations;he will destroy death forever.The Lord GOD will wipe awaythe tears from all faces;The reproach of his people he will removefrom the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said:"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!This...

The Jesse Tree The Jesse Tree helps us connect the custom of decorating Christmas trees to the events leading to Jesus' birth. The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." Jesse was the father of King David. We adorn a Jesse Tree with illustrated ornaments that represent the people, prophesies, and events leading up to the birth of Jesus. The ornaments of the Jesse Tree tell the story of God in the Old Testament, connecting the Advent season with the faithfulness...

Advent Is a Drama of Light and Darkness – Pondering a Season Soon to Come Upon Us Msgr. Charles Pope • November 22, 2015 • The Feast of Christ the King (celebrated yesterday) signals the end of the liturgical year. This coming Sunday marks the beginning of Advent and a new liturgical year. Perhaps then we do well to prepare by taking a look ahead just past Thanksgiving.Many people think of Advent merely as being "pre-Christmas" time: office parties, shopping, decorating, and baking. But in the Church, Advent is more a penitential period, a time of preparation for both the...

Five Brief Advent Reflections Msgr. Charles Pope • November 30, 2015 • The following are five Advent reflections I prepared for catechumens and candidates in our RCIA program. (They are also available in PDF here: The Season of Advent.) 1. Advent is witnessed by creation - - Late autumn and early winter are times of great seasonal change. The leaves turn brilliant colors, then fade and fall. The shadows lengthen as the days grow shorter and colder. Vacations and the warmth of summer are distant memories, and we are reminded once again that the things of this world last but...

December 1, 2015 Tuesday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1 Is 11:1-10 On that day,A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,and from his roots a bud shall blossom.The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,A Spirit of counsel and of strength,a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.Not by appearance shall he judge,nor by hearsay shall he decide,But he shall judge the poor with justice,and decide aright for the land's afflicted.He shall strike the ruthless with the...

November 30, 2015 Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18 Brothers and sisters:If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved.For one believes with the heart and so is justified,and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.The Scripture says,No one who believes in him will be put to shame.There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;the same Lord is Lord of all,enriching all who call upon him.For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But...

Today is the first day of Advent, which marks the start of the pre-Christmas season. It is observed by many, if not most, of the Catholic faithful. And it is in popularity among Protestants, particularly those of us who count ourselves evangelical Christians. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. During that four-week period, the Christian faithful prepare for the commemoration of the birth of Christ. Satan hates Advent. That’s because he wants to take the “Christ” out of Christmas. He doesn’t want Christmas to be a Godly “holy-day.” Rather, his aim is to reduce the...

A Recipe for Readiness - - Homily for the First Sunday of Advent Msgr. Charles Pope • November 28, 2015 • As the Advent season begins, we are immediately drawn into its principle theme of preparation and readiness for the coming of the Lord. The first coming of the Lord has already been fulfilled at Bethlehem. And while we should prepare spiritually for the coming Christmas Feast, these first weeks of Advent bid us to focus even more on the Second Coming of the Lord in glory.Thus, as the curtains draw back on the opening scenes of Advent, we are...

November 29, 2015 First Sunday of Advent Reading 1 Jer 33:14-16 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah.In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot ; he shall do what is right and just in the land.In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; this is what they shall call her: "The LORD our justice." Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14 R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.Your ways,...