Tree of Life

Today we honor the Presentation of Jesus, the Light of the World into the Temple in accordance with Jewish law. Today officially closes the Christmas season and Spring begins in many countries.  February 2nd marks 40 days since the birth of Christ on Christmas and is also the midway point between Winter and Spring. Some cultures will celebrate today as the dawning of Spring just as Jesus’ Presentation is the dawning of Salvation.  This is because Simeon, holding Jesus in His arms says “my eyes have beheld your salvation.”  In Jewish Law the firstborn male is dedicated to God on the 40th day since birth and the child’s mother is gone through the rites of purification. For this reason today is a shared feast of Mother and Son. Just as Jesus was baptized as an example to us and an expression of His humility, so too do Jesus and Mary subject themselves to the law though unnecessary (because of their statuses as God and His Immaculate Mother) as an exercise in humility and ob...

Today we honor the revelation of Jesus Christ to the nations by the light of the star of Bethlehem. The Wise Men arrive and present to the Infant Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh. The feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is liturgically (within Church Liturgy/ Mass) celebrated on the Sunday between January 2nd-8th. It is typically the second Sunday following Christmas. The traditional date before being solemnized with a Sunday feast is January 6th, known as “Little Christmas” in some cultures. The vigil or eve of the traditional feast of Epiphany is known as TwelfthNight because it is the 12th day of Christmas. It is this day that holds the solemnity that Christmas Day does in some cultures. Epiphany is the celebration of the revelation of God, born in Bethlehem.  The most popular custom for Epiphany is house blessing. This is because Jesus revealed Himself to the nations by the Star and all came to worship Him from shepherds to Kings. By the Wise Men visiting Jesus’...

*Please celebrate wisely and don’t drink and drive or allow anyone who’s been drinking to drive home. Uber and AAA have resources for free and safe trips home.* January 1st marks the beginning of New Year in the West but all through the year many religions and cultures celebrate their New Year at different times. Chinese New Year varies year to year as it follows the lunar cycle as opposed to the solar cycle like the West.  Celebrating the New Year in America and Worldwide New Year’s Day is a time to ask God for blessings on the year that is newly born and we make resolutions for the year to come. The Church exhorts us to pray the Veni Creator Spiritus to gain an indulgence * for the opening of the New Year. January 1st also marks the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and World Peace Day!  New Year falls when it does due to the implementation of the Gregorian Calendar. The colors for New Year are often gold for luck and white for peace. The inclusion of black I believe is t...

CHRISTUS NATUS EST !   CHRIST IS BORN! Today we celebrate the festival of our salvation. The Word is made Flesh and dwells among us! At Midnight in a stable at Bethlehem as the world holds its breath in hope filled longing the Immaculate Virgin Mary gives birth to the Son of God! Christmas gets its name from the translation of  “Christ’s Mass” because of the Mass offered to celebrate Christ at His birth. In fact the different Masses offered for Christmas have different devotional titles:  The "Angels' Mass", held at midnight as Christmas Eve turns to Christmas Day. The "Shepherds' Mass", held on Christmas morning. The "Mass of the Divine World", also known as the "Kings' Mass", held during the day on Christmas.* Christmas in Bethlehem  (At approx 2:10:00 the procession to the Cave of the Nativity begins and approx 2:35:00 they arrive at the Grotto of the Nativity.)   At Midnight on Christmas Eve, the hour when Jesus was born in ac...

O’ Come  O’ Come Emmanuel!  Prepare ye the way of the Lord!  Maranatha!  During Advent we honor and await the coming of Christ at Christmas, in the Eucharist and at His Second Coming! Marantha is translated from Aramaic and occurs in the Book of Revelation, it means “Come, Lord!” Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ by receiving the Sacraments and making good resolutions, especially as the first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the Church year. While it’s easy to be overwhelmed during Advent, the spiritual aspects and the spirit of love, joy and good will reigns supreme and that should be our main focus! During Masses of Advent The Gloria isn’t sung because the Gloria wasn’t revealed until the First Christmas. Purple reflects the royalty of the Infant Jesus who will come again to Judge the living and the dead. This season we walk so closely with Mary and Joseph and in a special way when we receive the Eucharist, the Incarnation reoccurs...

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever!! Psalm 136:1 Today we take time to give thanks to God for all the blessings He’s bestowed upon us and for His kindness and love. It’s important to express our gratitude to God as it strengthens a heart in humility and selflessness. We celebrate a bountiful harvest season with a meal celebrating the gifts of God’s love.  Gratitude is scientifically proven to improve your mental health and your worldview! The greatest way to thank God is to receive the Eucharist today. The very word Eucharist is Greek for “Thanksgiving” and Jesus in a private revelation to St. Theresa of Avila said that attending one Mass is the best way to thank Him! We send our love to Nurses, First Responders, the Military and all those who can’t be home this holiday season and express our gratitude for all they do for our society. We pray in a special way for the safety of travelers and those celebrating with adult beverage, for family unity, und...

Happy Birthday to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Conceived without Sin! The Dawn of Salvation is upon us for the Mother of God is born!  I mpart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Today, Our Lady is born of St. Anne and this feast marks 9 months since the feast of Mary's Immaculate Conception on December 8th. We can celebrate by throwing a birthday party with blue and white decorations and cake ! Today's liturgical color is white for Mary's purity or gold for her glory. The faithful can wear these colors, variations of or blue (the traditional Marian color) to honor Our Lady. “I remember that the Blessed Virgin said to [St. Bridget] that if women with child celebrated the vigil of H...