Bede the Venerable, one of the greatest Christian writers of the early Middle Ages, here reflects on the Magnificat, the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary proclaimed during her visitation of her cousin Elizabeth and sung every night in the Church's evening prayer, part of...
Writing in the early 8th century, Bede explains why the Magnificat, Mary's prayer on the occasion of her Visitation of Elizabeth, is used daily in the liturgy of the hours (a.k.a the divine office) for evening prayer....
St. Bernard of Clairvaux says there are three comings: Advent prepares not just for the first coming of Christ to Israel, or even the second at the end of time. There is a third coming between these two in which Jesus comes in spirit...
The second Council of Orange was a small synod of only 14 bishops, presided over by St. Caesarius, bishop of Arles, held in what is now south-eastern France. It confronted issues of faith, grace, free-will and predestination in order to solve lingering debates over Pelagianism...
St. Bernard of Clairvaux here helps us meditate on the mysteries that are the heartbeat of the rosary. The celebration of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7 invites all to meditate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of...
Francis of Assisi is one of the most well-known and widely loved Catholic saints of all time. He thought it often necessary to use words to preach the gospel, and what follows is the heart of his simple message based on humility and charity....
St. Bede the Venerable on the call of Matthew, Tax Collector turned disciple, apostle & evangelist. Matthew, originally called Levi, was, as a publican, excommunicated from the life of the synagogue and shunned in Jewish society....
Bernard of Clairvaux on the martyrdom of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross – her heart is pierced by a sword as Simeon predicted. For the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15....
Here Saint Louis, king of France, gives advice to his son as to how a Catholic statesman ought to conduct himself with relation to God, his subjects, and especially the poor. Read on August 25, the feast of St. Louis....
Bernard here treats of one of his favorite themes, the love relationship between God as bridegroom and the individual soul as bride, according the Song of Songs (otherwise known as the Canticle of Canticles or Song of Solomon). This selection is so typical of...