On this Feast of Christmas, Fr. Michael shares the image of Mary magnifying and reflecting back the light of her Son to us, just as the moon reflects the light of the Sun or a telescope magnifies the light it receives from the stars. Luke 1:46-56 Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the…
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah presented him at the temple in Shiloh … Hannah approached Eli and said: “Pardon, my lord! As you live, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to…
Hark! My lover – here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag…My lover speaks; he says to me, “Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on…
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Upon arriving, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed…
Thereupon Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: “Blest are you among women and…
Facing his death, John the Baptist wonders, “Did I get it wrong? Is Jesus really the Messiah?” Watch and listen as Fr. Michael unpacks this Gospel question that we too would be tempted to ask. Luke 7:18b-23 At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are…
Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name…
Matthew 21:28-30 There was a man who had two sons. He approached the elder and said, “Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.” The son replied, “I am on my way, sir;” but he never went. Then the man came to his second son, and said the same thing. This son said in…
Numbers: 24:5-7 How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel! They are like gardens beside a stream, like the cedars planted by the Lord. His wells shall yield free-flowing waters, he shall have the sea within reach… These words of prophesy come from Balaam, a wicked, but not a false prophet, who…
Matthew 17:9a, 10-13 As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things: but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to…
Isaiah 48:17-19 I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. Named Zoe Laboure at her birth in the Burgundy region of France in 1806, she was usually called Catherine, her Baptismal name. She was the 9th of 11 children. When she was…
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” Juan Diego, whose feast we celebrate today, belonged to the Aztec people. Born in what is today part of Mexico City, Mexico, in 1474, Juan was baptized…
Isaiah 40:9-11 Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan in the 4th century, was a noted theologian…
Mt. 10:1, 7-8 …as it is written in the words of Isaiah the Prophet: “A herald’s voice in the desert, crying, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, clear him a straight path. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be leveled. The windings shall be made straight and the rough…
Mt. 10:1, 7-8 Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority to expel unclean spirits and to cure sickness and disease of every kind… As you go, make this announcement: ‘The reign of God is at hand!’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, heal the leprous, expel demons. The gift you have received,…
Isaiah 29:18-19 On that day the deaf shall hear the 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. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1858, Katharine Mary Drexel’s…
Matthew 7:24-25 “Anyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock. When the rainy season set in, the torrent came and the winds blew and buffeted his house. It did not collapse; it had been solidly set on rock. Anyone who hears my…
Isaiah 25:8-9 He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces; the reproach of his people he will remove from 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 is the…
Mt. 4:18-20 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and…
Isaiah 2:4-5 He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples.They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. Born in Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918, Nelson Mandela was the…