When Jesus appeared before Pilate he  said “the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.” As a result, witnessing to truth is at the heart of the Christian life. That helps explain the concern of the St. John in his first epistle: “Who is the liar?” In… Read More »

St. Luke reports in his Christmas story: “the shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem.” Of course they did. The angel told them to. They wanted to get to the action. Everyone hastens to the party, to the event, to the happening thing. But that is not the whole story. They can’t stay in Bethlehem. They… Read More »

A common poetic technique on Greek literature is known as chiasmus: phrases at the beginning of the poem are mirrored at the end of the poem in reverse order. Thus, the theme of the poem can be found in the middle, where the two patterns cross. The prologue of St. John’s gospel is such a… Read More »

The Feast of the Holy Family was added to the Church’s calendar to highlight the importance of the Christian Family and to point to the Holy Family as a model for all families to follow. Even though Joseph and Mary were poor and had external forces against them, they provided a loving home for Jesus… Read More »

“Tis the season to be jolly,” goes a popular song. But for many people this season produces as much sadness as it does jollity. These days often remind people of the rifts that exist in families or accent a sense of loneliness. Even the long darkness of the northern hemisphere can produce a sense of… Read More »

Many Churches at Christmas time put on a pageant with the children dressed as angels, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, the magi and the little drummer boy. (Everybody needs a part!) If there is a newborn in the parish to add to the mix all the better. The cuteness of the scene should not distract us from… Read More »

On the third day of Christmas the Church does not talk about three French hens but rather Saint John the Evangelist. Besides the Gospel that bears his name there are three epistles ascribed to him. The first starts off: “What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and… Read More »

On the day after Christmas we can OD on sweetness — the literal sweetness of all the cookies we’ve eaten and the emotional sweetness of seeing the children happy and excited. But the Church does not indulge is such sentiments. Instead on the day after Christmas we turn to St. Stephen, the first martyr. The… Read More »

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.”  Thus says the Prophet Isaiah. Which do you believe in: the darkness or the light, the land of gloom or the abundant joy?  Certainly there is sufficient evidence of darkness and… Read More »

Most parishes do not celebrate the Vigil Mass of the Nativity of the Lord. Instead they use the “Mass during the Night” at their Christmas Eve service. That liturgy uses the story of the birth of Jesus as told by St. Luke — no room at the inn, the manger, angels, shepherds. By skipping the… Read More »