My name is Fr. Andrew Ricci. I am a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Superior, and I have been rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King for the last nine years. Perhaps you have read one of my blog posts at www.studyprayserve.com or you’ve listened to my podcast at Catholic Inspiration. If you have found these resources at all helpful, consider one of these New Year’s faith-filled resolution.
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As an apostle, St. John was filled with the Holy Spirit and sent by Jesus; as an evangelist, his writings have inspired generations of Christians with the Good News of the Gospel. We can look to John for an example: living our faith in the world today as we testify to the light of Jesus Christ.
With the joy of Christ’s birth ringing in the air we celebrate today the death of St. Stephen, the first martyr. Why? To help us see the connection between the Christ’s birth and saving death as we offer our lives for the Lord. Thus, the Christmas spirit gives us hope to face the sacrifices of this life with the conviction that the Jesus Christ will guide and lead us to Heaven.
We rely heavily on our sense of sight to understand and navigate through this life. Light also plays a crucial role in our spiritual lives, and we look to the birth of Jesus Christ – the Light of the World – as the source of our hope that through Christ we will find the grace we need to make our way to Heaven. Merry Christmas!
The angel Gabriel tells Mary to “be not afraid” as she hears the news of her role in salvation history. In our moments of doubt and fear may we follow Mary’s example and turn to the Lord with renewed faith, asking for the grace and strength we need to face our challenges with God’s guidance.
Luke’s Gospel recounts the naming of John the Baptist, and once again we see how his life served to highlight the coming of Christ. As we prepare to bring this Advent season to a close, may we discern the opportunities we have to direct others to Jesus.
Mary’s Magnificat is a song of praise about God’s goodness and mercy. As we prepare for Christmas, may this proclamation inspire us to count our blessings and opportunities to put our faith into practice.
Mary, Elizabeth and John the Baptist all show the speed of a vibrant response to the coming of the Messiah. Their example inspires us to consider how our faith guides and directs our actions with the people before us each and every day.
The Gospel of Luke recounts today the exchange between Gabriel and Mary. We know the details, and as we hear the specific names and particular locations we recall that God continues to touch our lives through this great account of salvation through our lives today.
In the Gospel today we learn about the priestly lineage of John the Baptist. John’s ministry – calling people to repentance and showing them the “Lamb of God” – fulfills the priestly role and sets the stage for the coming of the Messiah.
Three Great Things 