The image of Jesus as the Good shepherd is a comforting one in the minds of many. But many of those who first heard Jesus describe himself in this way were deeply disturbed. For it seems that Jesus is setting himself up as only true...
APOSTOLIC LETTER DIES DOMINI OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND FAITHFUL OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY My esteemed Brothers in the Episcopate and the Priesthood, Dear Brothers and Sisters! [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='65' color='' background_color='' border_color='']T[/dropcaps]he Lord's Day — as Sunday was called from Apostolic...
Easter is not a day but a season: the octave which is eight days of high celebration beginning on Easter Sunday followed by 42 more days of rejoicing concluding on Pentecost. Here are some ideas for a fitting and fruitful celebration of the...
Divine Mercy Sunday or the Octave of Easter presents us with one of the most famous of gospel stories -- the story of Doubting Thomas. But it shows us how and when the sacrament of penance and reconciliation (aka "Confession") was instituted by the Lord...
Eight days after Easter, Thomas the Doubter has an encounter with the Risen Christ that makes him a believer and even more, an apostle or ambassador who will bring the gospel to an unbelieving world. That should give us hope that he will do...
"Exultet"is the opening word in Latin of The Easter Proclamation, an ancient hymn sung by the deacon over the Easter candle which is lit at the start of the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening which celebrates the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The...
This excerpt on the Easter Alleluia from St. Augustine is a wonderful explanation of the joy of the Easter Season. Just as Lent was a season of penance, so the fifty days of Easter is a season of praise, an anticipation for the age to...
Good Friday is the day of the Crucifixion, Passion, and Death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cross was a terrorist weapon. In embracing it, was Jesus accepting defeat or pursuing a brilliant victory?...
The Creed proclaims "He descended into Hell". This homily for Holy Saturday from the 4th Century treats of the "harrowing of hell" and the rescue of Adam and Eve. This was a popular theme in early and medieval Christian poetry, liturgy and song....
The meaning of Easter is more than springtime and dyed eggs. The significance of Easter is that not only sin but death has been conquered by the risen Christ who foretold his own resurrection from the dead before he gave his life for us on...