Fourth Sunday of Advent — A Message From St. Bernard of Clairvaux
St. John the Baptist Pointing to Christ,Bartolome Esteban Murillo, cir. 1655 Translation of the Holy Gospel According to Luke Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high-priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of the Lord was made unto John, the [...]
Gaudéte Sunday — Sermon by Fr. Ermatinger
Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness,José Leonardo,1635 Translation of the Epistle for the Third Sunday in Advent Brethren, Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men: The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in [...]
Third Sunday of Advent — Gaudéte Sunday — A Message from St. Augustine
St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness, Philippe de Champaigne, 17th c Translation of the Holy Gospel According to John At that time the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the Prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: [...]
Feast of the Immaculate Conception — Homily by Fr. Ermatinger
Immaculate Conception Icon, Modern Translation of the Epistle for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His ways, before He made anything, from the beginning. I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made. The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out; the mountains with their huge bulk had not [...]
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary — A Message From Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange
The Annunciation, Augustus Pichon, 1859 Translation of the Gospel According to St. Luke At that time: the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. [...]
First Sunday of Advent — A Message from St. Augustine
The Pilgrim of the World at the End of His Journey,Thomas Cole, ca. 1847 Translation of the Gospel According to St. Luke (21:25-33) At that time Jesus said to His disciples: There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves: men withering away for fear and expectations [...]