Simeon looks beyond the outward appearances of the baby of Mary and Joseph and sees the Son of God. May we pray that the Holy Spirit will give us clear sight to recognize the Lord’s presence in our daily actions, empowering us to respond with faith, hope and love.
Mass Readings – The 5th Day in the Octave of Christmas
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Simeon’s Song of Praise, Aert de Gelder, 1700-1710, The Hague.
Why do the innocent suffer? Why is there senseless violence, hate, cruelty and pain? God has granted human souls with the freedom to choose good or evil, and the consequences can be profound. Yet it was for our sins that the Christ child was born, breaking the chains of evil and offering us a chance for grace and mercy. May the death of these innocent children inspire us to hold fast to our faith as we follow the Lord.
Mass Readings – The Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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.
God bless us all as we grow in faith in 2018!
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.
Mass Readings – Feast of St. John, Apostle and evangelist
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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.
Mass Readings – Feast of Stephen, first martyr
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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!
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Advent
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 3rd Week of Advent
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 3rd Week of Advent
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 3rd Week of Advent
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
