BIG C CATHOLICS

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel  The first chapter in the Gospel of John begins: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (Jn 1:1-5). And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14). Why did the Son of God come among us as a human being? Why was the "Word made flesh?" The Word became man to show the world God’s immense "grace and truth." The Word was God’s steadfast love in the person of Jesus. Christmas is more than just the birth of Our Savior. It is a celebration of God with us. It is the realization that God’s love and faithfulness dwells among us. It

Fr. Charles Irvin Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for Sunday’s readings ) As a young man, St. Augustine lived a hedonistic life, one in which sensuality and self-indulgence reigned supreme. Along the way, prior to his becoming a Christian he had a son by a woman to whom he was not married. Augustine was brilliant and renowned. By worldly standards he lived a spectacularly successful life. His mother Monica had prayed for his conversion for over thirty years and eventually her prayers were answered. All the while Augustine’s heart was hungering for something. He was aware that his inner self was empty. Even though his life was filled with sensuality and pleasure, fame and popularity, he knew there was something more. He also knew that nature of the human heart was destined for a higher and greater realty than what could be found in this world. In his classic work setting forth his odyssey to Christianity, known now as The Confessions of St. Augustine , he wrote: “Our hearts

Saint Ephraim the Syrian, the 4th century theologian and Doctor of the Church wrote nineteen metrical poems on the Incarnation of Our Lord. These hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the flesh contain profound insights into the love of God. Here, St. Ephraim extols how God became man for our good and our salvation: Blessed be the Child Who today delights Bethlehem. Blessed be the Newborn Who today made humanity young again. Blessed be the Fruit Who bowed Himself down for our hunger. Blessed be the Gracious One Who enriched all our poverty and filled our need. Blessed be He Whose mercy inclined Him to heal our sickness. Blessed be the Holy Child of Bethlehem! On this day when the Rich One was made poor for our sake, let the rich man also make the poor man a sharer at his table. On this day a gift came out to us without our asking for it; let us then give alms to those who cry out and beg from us. This is the day when the high gate opened to u

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 in need of God's mercy. Let us lift up in prayer those who have been affected by abortion in any way. In solidarity, we commend them to God. May they have hope and healing.  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 Spirit, you took upon

Optional Memorial - December 23rd  Outward appearances of failure do not always indicate an interior lack of success. In fact, precisely the opposite can be true, as it was in the case of Saint John of Kanty (otherwise known as John Kanty or John Cantius.) This patron saint of both Poland and Lithuania could also have been designated the patron of frustration and disappointment, had he been so disposed to those things and less resolute. John of Kanty was born in Oswiecim, Poland, in 1390, and at first, he appeared destined for a life of renown and accomplishment. Though raised and initially educated in a rural setting, the future saint took quickly to life in the bustling city of Krakow, becoming a brilliant scholar at the university there. A student of philosophy and theology, he earned his doctoral degree, was ordained a priest, and named professor of theology at the very institution he had graduated from. John was popular with his students, so much so that some of his col

December 22, 2016 Today, we pray for all who are parents and godparents. They have an essential duty to help form a child born into the world. Just as Our Lord Jesus Christ 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 present 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

This year (2017) Advent is unusually short, Sunday being the only day in the fourth week. In the General Roman Calendar, December 24th, Christmas Eve, is the last day of Advent as well as (beginning with the vigil Mass) the first day of Christmas time. This raises the question as to whether the fulfillment of one's Sabbath obligation may also fulfill the Christmas obligation to attend holy Mass. The answer is no . A February newsletter issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship observed that a "two-for-one" Mass cannot occur in the very rare circumstances when two of the six holy days of obligation, such as when the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary or the Christmas solemnity of Our Lord's Nativity fall the day before or after Sunday. The committee stated, "When consecutive obligations occur on Saturday-Sunday or Sunday-Monday, the faithful must attend Mass twice to fulfill two separate obligations.&quo