Christmas is a joyous celebration of the birth of Peace. So why does the Church precede the feast of December 25 with a somber season of fast and penance? A meditation for the Second Sunday of Advent, cycle A. ...
In this 13 minute podcast, Sonrise Morning Show host Anna Mitchell Interviews Dr. Italy on the insistent command in many of the scripture readings of the season, to rouse ourselves from sleep. What does it mean to be spiritually awake and alert? The Season of Advent...
Christmas lights begin to appear in November, chasing away the increasing darkness. Is all this just commercialism and secularism, or do holiday lights somehow tie into the true meaning of the Advent and Christmas season?...
6 min podcast by Dr. Italy discussing Bethany as a rest stop between Jericho and Jerusalem. Describes the journey Jesus would have taken, his familiarity with a particular family of Bethany, and the help this provides in understanding the story of the raising of Lazarus. Jesus,...
Here Peter Chrysologus brings together the three events traditionally remembered on the Solemnity of the Epiphany: the visit of the Magi or Wise men, Christ's baptism in the Jordan River, and Jesus' first miracle performed at the Wedding Feast of Cana....
[dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']T[/dropcaps]he Jews were absolutely unique in the Ancient world. Not only did their religion forbid them to worship gods other than the Lord, but their prophets actually taught that the gods of the nations were mere figments of the imagination. They did...
The Feast of the Epiphany occurs soon after Christmas. Epiphany means revelation, appearance, or manifestation of a king. In this case it refers to the visit of the wise men to the cradle of a baby who was revealed to them as the King of...
In this excerpt from a popular video Bible study, Dr. Italy and Jeff Cavins discuss the paradox of why the sinless Jesus of Nazareth had to be baptized by John the Baptist. The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance from sin. Christian baptism is...
12 minute podcast that describes the lifestyle of the Holy Family in Nazareth during the "hidden years" before Jesus launched his public ministry....
Augustine contrasts the role of John the Baptist, the voice crying out in the wilderness, with that of his cousin, Jesus, the Word of God made flesh. The humility of John, who prepared the way of the Lord, is highlighted. His joy was complete to...