BIG C CATHOLICS

The lighting of the Advent candles symbolizes the hope that the coming Messiah represents in a world that very often seems dark, forbidding and hopeless. We do so because we are a people living in faith that our Divine Master will come again in glory at the end of time to dispense peace and justice. The joyous anticipation of the season of Advent is captured in the teachings of the prophets from the Old Testament: "Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he…" (Zechariah 9:9) Advent Wreath Prayer - Second Week By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois Dear Heavenly Father:  in this second week of Advent, I feel a bit overwhelmed as I learn to set priorities in my life. At the base of your mountain, I realize I cannot climb it with too much baggage. I see you at the top of the mountain, ready to usher me into the holy city. Draw me up that mountain, Lord, for there I will find fulfillment and peace.

Fr. Charles Irvin Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for Sunday’s readings ) Advent begins with us looking at the eventual end of the world. The passage in today’s Gospel account is taken from St. Mark’s report of Jesus speaking to His disciples about the end of the world, telling them (and us) to be watchful and alert because we do now know when the Last Day will dawn. No one does. Advent, I say, begins with us looking at the end of the world. Advent ends with a beginning, the beginning of the kingdom of God that has been established here on earth by the One whom God has sent to us as our Messiah, Christ Jesus, the Son of God whose nativity we are about to celebrate. It is right that we should be anxious and concerned about the judgment of God on the Day of Judgment. But we should not be held in the grip of fear. Why? Because God’s judgment is that we are worth saving. God’s judgment comes to us in His grace and mercy, His grace and mercy given us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

December 3, 2016 Today, we pray for those who suffer from financial need. Whatever difficulties result, we pray this hardship will bring people together rather than tear them apart. May trying times for individuals and families be resolved in ways that inspire gratitude and humility. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 5 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my

December 2, 2016 Today, let us pray for purity. The purity of our bodies, that we may treat them as temples of the Holy Spirit; the purity of our minds, that we may contemplate holy thoughts; the purity of our hearts, that we may see God face to face in eternity. We ask that God will grant us, and the entire world, greater purity in all respects. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 4 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to

For Catholics, the new Liturgical Year commences with the first Sunday of Advent. In this new liturgical year, the Church not only wishes to indicate the beginning of a period, but the beginning of a renewed commitment to the Faith by all those who follow Christ, the Lord. This time of prayer and penance gives us a renewed impetus to truly welcome the message of the One who was Incarnated for us. In fact, the entire Liturgy of the Advent season, will spur us to an awakening in our Christian life as we pray and joyously wait for Our Lord Jesus who is coming: "Awaken! Remember that God comes! Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today, now! The one true God, 'the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob', is not a God who is there in Heaven, unconcerned with us and our history, but he is the-God-who-comes" (Benedict XVI, First Vespers of Advent, Vatican Basilica, December 2006). The season of Advent is one of vigilant anticipation, preparing us to welcome the mystery of the W

We received the following from praymorenovenas.com about their online Advent retreat for 2017. A modest donation is requested to help offset the cost of their ministry. If you are financially unable, or wish to delay doing so, you are welcome to participate for free. For more information and to register, see the links below. ______________________________________________  We all need to pray. This Advent is the perfect time to work on our prayer lives. St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) said, "Are we ready to receive Him? Before the birth of Jesus, his parents asked for a simple dwelling place, but there was none. If Mary and Joseph were looking for a home for Jesus, would they choose … your heart, and all it holds? Let us pray that we shall be able to welcome Jesus at Christmas..." This is exactly our goal with the Pray More Advent Retreat. If you want to answer the questions Saint Mother Teresa asks with a, "Yes," then consider joining us for thi

December 1, 2016 Today we pray in thanksgiving to God for the gift of His mother, Mary. She is a perfect example for us in living a life that is fully devoted to Christ. To thee, O Virgin Mother, who was never touched by any spot of original or actual sin, we commend and entrust the purity of our hearts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 3 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my ho

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. Provincial Superior, La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings )  I have a revelation to make. What does that statement make you expect? A personal confession? Some new scandal in the Church? An interesting secret, or some news that will amaze or disappoint you? One way or another, the statement probably sparked your interest. In today’s reading from St. Paul, we find a similar idea: “You are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Christians of Corinth, who are already believers, are waiting for another revelation. As we begin a new year in the life of the Church, we do so with a sense of anticipation. In this respect Advent is quite different from Lent. Both use purple vestments, both omit the Gloria at Mass, both are meant to be a sober preparation for a great feast to follow. Still, have you ever heard of making “Advent resolu

November 30, 2016 Today we pray for the universal Church. To thee, O Virgin Mother, who was never touched by any spot of original or actual sin, we commend and entrust the purity of our hearts. Also, pray that we never take anything, or anyone, for granted. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 2 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will. Hail Mary, full of Gra

November 29, 2017 Today we pray for all those who suffer material poverty and go unnoticed and uncared for, that God will provide for them through us. Also, may we not take anything, or anyone, for granted in our lives. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 1 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will. Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are y

The lighting of the Advent candles symbolizes the hope that the coming Messiah represents in a world that very often seems dark, forbidding and hopeless. We do so because we are a people living in faith that our Divine Master will come again in glory at the end of time to dispense peace and justice. The joyous anticipation of the season of Advent is captured in the teachings of the prophets from the Old Testament: "Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he…" (Zechariah 9:9) Advent Wreath Prayer - First Week By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois Dear Heavenly Father: in this first week of Advent, I look at my wreath with four shiny new candles on it, none of which are lit. I will light one candle for this first week of Advent. That is all. It reminds me that I am called to slow down, pray and patiently wait for your intervention in my life. I am not a patient person, Lord. But you know that; y

November 26, 2017  The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, formerly referred to as "Christ the King," was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist. The feast is intended to proclaim in a solemn, striking and effective manner Christ's sovereign royalty and holy reign over individuals, families, causes, ideologies, society, governments, and nations. It is no accident that this solemnity occurs immediately before the beginning of Advent. As Fr. Pius Parsch explains: "With an ever-growing desire, all Advent awaits the 'coming King'; in the chants of the breviary we find repeated again and again the two expressions 'King' and 'is coming.' On Christmas the Church would greet, not the Child of Bethlehem, but the Rex Pacificus — 'the King of peace gloriously reigning.' Withi

Father Lance Harlow The transition from the Christmas season to Ordinary Time is fraught with emotion for most of us. The unit of time employed for the liturgical season called "ordinary" doesn’t mean "common" or “usual.” The word is derived from the Latin word "ordinalis" which refers to sequential numbers — like the mathematical terms: ordinal and cardinal numbers. The Latin root is "ordo" which means order. One might say, then, that the season of Ordinary Time refers to living an ordered life. Ordinary time counts and links the major events in salvation history. It begins with Advent and Christmas linking the season of Lent followed by Easter. Then, ordinary time returns to link Easter to Advent again. But above all, the liturgical year "orders" our lives around a person; that is, Jesus Christ. The transition into ordinary time following Christmas can be jolting because most Catholics are caught up in a tug-of-war during Advent.

December 24, 2016 Today, we continue to pray for an end to abortion and for a greater respect for all life as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. The Christmas Novena - Day 9  – Life Eternal O Lord, infant Jesus, bring us to live eternal with You! Jesus, your nativity was not without purpose. Your purpose was to bring us to You. We pray that you will bring us to Life Eternal with you this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Journey in Egypt O most sweet infant Jesus, who dwelled as an exile in Egypt for seven years, where spoke your first words, and, first begin to walk upon this earth. Have mercy upon us. We pray also for these intentions… (State your intentions here) Hail Mary… Virgin Mary, where, conceived by the Holy Ghost, you took upon yourself, O Incarnate Word, the form of a servant for our salvation. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. Hail Mary… O Lord, Word of God,

December 23, 2016 Today, we pray for those who have participated in an abortion; that they may be reconciled with God and their hearts healed. We are all sinners and in need of God's mercy. Let us lift up in prayer those who have been directly affected by abortion in solidarity and love.  The Christmas Novena - Day 8  – Holiness O Lord, infant Jesus, inspire us to be repulsed by sin! You, Lord, are holy but we are not. We pray that you will make us holy and keep us from temptation this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Flight into Egypt O most sweet infant Jesus, whom Herod tried to slay, carried by St. Joseph with your Mother into Egypt, saved from death by flight, and glorified by the blood of the holy innocents. Have mercy on. us. We pray also for these intentions… (State your intentions here) Hail Mary… Virgin Mary, where, conceived by the Holy Ghost, you took upon yourself, O Incarnate Word, the form o

December 22, 2016 Today, we pray for all parents and godparents. They have an essential role in bringing up a child who is brought into the world. Just as the Lord was presented in the temple, our children are presented in the Church for Baptism. There, parents and godparents take on the responsibility for bringing up a child in the faith. We pray also for those children who have no one to present them in the Church for Baptism. We ask that God bring them to His family to be loved.  The Christmas Novena - Day 7  – Forgiveness O Lord, infant Jesus, move us to forgive others as you forgive us! Your Divine Mercy is unending! We pray for Your Divine Mercy on us and that we may participate in Your mercy by forgiving others this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Presentation O most sweet infant Jesus, presented in the temple by the Virgin Mary, embraced by Simeon, and revealed to the Jews by Anna the prophetess. Have mercy on us.

Detail ,Virgin of the Angels , Adolphe-William Bouguereau, 1881. Blessedness is not a matter of external circumstances or emotion. It is possible to feel blessed even in the midst of great suffering, difficulty and uncertainty. Things also can be "blessed." Jesus once told his disciples, "Blessed are your eyes... Blessed are your ears." Elsewhere in Scripture, we see that patience is a blessed thing. So is trust. So is hope. The Beatitudes include more examples. Advent is a season of blessing. We reflect upon Christ’s Incarnation 2,000 years ago, and how our Savior defeated sin and death, opening up for us the gates of heaven. We are reminded of his Second Coming at the end of time, when He will return as King of the universe. Finally, we prepare during Advent to welcome Christ our "blessed hope" into our hearts. In the words of Fr. René J. Butler, M.S.: "The current translation of the Roman Missal has restored the phrase 'Blessed hope

December 21, 2016 Today we meditate on peace and the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. We pray for greater peace in the world, and especially for an end to abortion -- which is the greatest destroyer of peace. May our leaders respect and protect the life of the unborn who are made in God's image. We pray especially for the leaders in countries where there are concerted efforts to expand abortion. May God touch the hearts of these leaders to stop forevermore the awful scourge of abortion. The Christmas Novena - Day 6  – Peace O Lord, infant Jesus, give us Your peace! You are the Prince of Peace and the ultimate fulfillment of your incarnation brings us to you in heaven where peace will come to perfection. We pray for peace this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Adoration of the Kings O most sweet infant Jesus, who was made known to the three kings, who worshiped you as you lie on Mary’s breast, and offered you the mystical pre

December 20, 2016 The Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's will in consenting to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we pray for all mothers who have chosen life for their children — especially those who have adopted their children. We pray for the couples who desire to be parents, but struggle with infertility and other crosses that prevent them from becoming parents. May they be blessed with children. The Christmas Novena - Day 5  – Love O Lord, infant Jesus, inspire in us Your selfless love! You humbled yourself to become like us in all things but sin, and even humbled yourself to die on a cross. We pray that you will help us to love as You love this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Circumcision O most sweet infant Jesus, circumcised when eight days old, and called by the glorious name of Jesus, and proclaimed both by your name and by your blood, to be the Savior of the world. Have mercy on us. Have mer

December 19, 2016 Today, we pray for an openness to life. Also, that we will be open to the Lord’s promptings each day, and to all of His blessings. We pray that society as a whole will be respectful of the gift of new life from God. May the culture of death which makes idols out of abortion, contraception and euthanasia give way to love.  The Christmas Novena - Day 4  – Hope O Lord, infant Jesus, bring us the Hope that saves! Your birth to the Virgin Mary brought a Hope to the world that continues to sustain us. We pray for a saving Hope this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Holy Nativity O most sweet infant Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, wrapped in poor swaddling clothes, laid in the manger, glorified by angels, and visited by shepherds. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord.  Have mercy on us. We pray also for these intentions… (State your intentions here) Hail Mary… Virgin Mary, where,