BIG C CATHOLICS

December 18, 2016 Today we pray for all those who work to uphold the dignity of life. Many of them do this work with little or no thanks or recognition. They are selfless foot soldiers in the effort to advance the culture of life. Please pray for their strength, courage and for more people to support them. Every person is a "someone" to be loved. The Christmas Novena - Day 3  – Faith O Lord, infant Jesus, give us the gift of Faith! You, Lord, deserve our complete faith. We pray for deeper and more perfect faith in you this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Expectation of Birth O most sweet infant Jesus, who waited for nine months enclosed in the womb, and inflamed the heart of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph with the most powerful love and expectation, all for the salvation of the world. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord.  Have mercy on us. We pray also for these intentions… (State your intentions

The following is reposted from December of last year. We present it here for your consideration: In Matthew’s Gospel, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream and tells him, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." [Matthew 1:21]. The verse immediately afterward states, "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,' which means 'God is with us'" This begs the question, why isn’t Jesus named Emmanuel? Matthew 23 quotes the prophet Isaiah who some 300 years earlier predicted, "Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel." [Isaiah 7:14] In this context, "name

St. Joseph’s Dream , illuminated manuscript, T’oros Roslin, c. 1260. Fr. Thomas J. Lane S.T.D. Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture Mt. St. Mary's Seminary Emmitsburg, MD  ( Click here for today’s readings ) We are all busy preparing for Christmas. A lot of preparation had to be made for the first Christmas also by Mary and Joseph. They had to prepare by saying “yes” to God’s plan for the birth of Jesus. Today our Gospel focuses on the preparation made by Joseph for that first Christmas. It was a most difficult preparation for him. At that time Jews were betrothed one year before they got married. When a couple were betrothed to each other one year before marriage they were then legally united but did not live together. A year later the wedding ceremony took place and then the couple came to live together. During the year before marriage after they had been betrothed, Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant. What suffering he must have endured. The angel Gabrie

December 17, 2016 This novena is dedicated to praying for the abolition of abortion, and for greater respect for the dignity of every human being. When contemplating the birth of our Savior and preparing for Christmas, it is a good time to pray for abortion's end. Remember, Christ came to us as a humble and vulnerable pre-born child. The Christmas Novena - Day 2  – Humility O Lord, infant Jesus, grant us great humility! You gave us the model of perfect humility in your incarnation, life and death. We pray for a greater Humility this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Visitation. O most sweet infant Jesus, who by means of your Virgin Mother, visited St. Elizabeth, and filled your servant, St. John the Baptist, with the Holy Spirit, sanctifying him from his mother’s womb. 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…

The following websites were featured in our monthly "Blog of Note" series which highlights the very best of the Catholic blogosphere. Each blog is faithful to the Magisterium and seeks the fullness of truth by way of promoting the Gospel of Life and the imitation of Christ. All will repay your frequent visitation. January's Blog of Note: The Catholic Gentleman’s Guide January's blog of note is The Catholic Gentleman’s Guide . The site features numerous articles about authentic manliness in the imitation of Christ. Site creator, Matthew, a husband, father of three and lifelong Catholic, realized that: "Our modern world can be a challenging place in which to live as a Catholic Man." He created Catholic Gentleman’s Guide to: "provide a source of encouragement and Faith formation for Catholic Men in all walks of life as we persevere on our paths of manly holiness!" The Catholic Gentleman’s Guide is a clarion call to Catholic men to fulfil

The text of this hymn recited in the Mass and Divine Office during Advent comes from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 45:8) in the Vulgate. It is a plea of the Prophets, the Patriarchs and the entire Church, who together await the Messiah. Speaking to the mystery of Christ’s impending coming, the imagery unites the celestial and the terrestrial as the heavens prepare for the Savior to descend and the earth prepares to welcome him. As rain comes down from the sky and quenches the earth, only to evaporate back, so too will the Messiah save his people and ascend to heavenly glory. We recall our past offenses and sins and seek forgiveness as we await the birth of Christ for our redemption and that of everything in creation. Rorate Coeli Prayer Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One. Be not angry, O Lord, and remember no longer our iniquity : behold the city of thy sanctuary is become a desert, Sion is made a desert. Jerusalem is desolate, the house o

December 16, 2016 This novena is dedicated to praying for the abolition of abortion, and for greater respect for the dignity of every human being. When contemplating the birth of our Savior and preparing for Christmas, it is a good time to pray for abortion's end. Remember, Christ came to us as a humble and vulnerable pre-born child. The Christmas Novena - Day 1  – Joy O Lord, infant Jesus, fill us with Joy! The birth of any child is a cause for joy and so much more is the birth of You our Savior. We pray in union with Mary, Your mother, for a greater joy this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Incarnation. O most sweet infant Jesus, who descended from the bosom of the eternal Father into the womb of the 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. We pray also for