Today’s Gospel is the “Canticle of Mary” also called the Magnificat (from the Latin “to magnify, to praise”). Mary gives praise and thanks to God for calling her to be the mother of Jesus, to be the mother of God. Mary has just come to visit her cousin Elizabeth who...
In today’s Gospel Luke tells us the story of the Annunciation of the birth not of Jesus but the Annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist. The angel appears to the priest Zechariah as he was serving his priestly ministry in the Jerusalem Temple. Luke describes...
Yesterday we began the celebration of the second stage of Advent. These final days of preparation help us to focus on the joy of the historical birth of the Savior in Bethlehem. The Gospels insert us into the very human experience of Jesus’ birth into our human...
Today you might ask a new neighbor or a new parishioner, “Where are you from?” It is a normal question. Growing up in the South it was equally likely for someone to ask, “Who are your people?” Today’s gospel is the answer to that question, which at first hearing,...
In this time of advent, time of waiting, the Word of God comes to us speaking of one city and two sons. We are given these images as a call to true waiting – change, repentance, conversion. The reading from Zephaniah speaks of the city that does not want to hear nor...
