“What man knows all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ and concealed in the poverty of his flesh? Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich. When he made mortality his own and made...
The Light Of Bethlehem Has Bever Been Extinguished | Pope Benedict XVI
“Where there is love, light shines forth in the world; where there is hatred, the world remains in darkness. In the stable of Bethlehem there appeared the great light which the world awaits. In that Child lying in the stable, God has shown his glory – the glory of...
God invites us to the eternal Bethlehem (St. Josemaria Escriva)
“Look how gently the Lord invites us. His words have human warmth; they are the words of a person in love: “I have called you by your name. You are mine.” God, who is beauty and greatness and wisdom, declares that we are his, that we have been chosen as the object of...
Can You Ace An Advent Quiz Designed For Catholic Kids?
Many of us have been taking part in Advent activities since we were young children. Traditions such as the Advent wreath and Jesse tree bring with them memories of childhood, but do we really know what the meaning is behind them? Don't let the season of Advent pass...
5 Tips To Keep Your Kids Focused On Jesus This Advent
Today's featured video is a seasonal Ikea commercial that does a wonderful job conveying the message of what children truly desire for Christmas… and it’s probably not what you would expect. This is one video that you don’t...
10 Things You Can Do When You Love Your Family…But They Drive You Crazy During The Holidays
Do any of these words describe your family : Aggravating, Irritating, Dysfunctional, Crazy, Weird? I'm betting that most of us can circle one that fits at least some of the time. "We put the 'fun' in dysfunctional" is a popular saying around this time of year....
Preparing to Prepare: Everything You Need to Get Ready for Advent
’Tis the season to string up Christmas lights, decorate the tree, plan out party menus, and buy gifts at shopping centers where it’s close to impossible to find parking. Ladies and gentlemen, the Christmas season is in full effect…and it’s only November! Oddly...
The Starbucks Red Cup Controversy: ‘Tis the Season to Complain, Whine, and Rant About A Lack of Christmas Cheer
Father Rob Ketcham from Saint John the Baptist Diocesan High School in New York has just released this video about his take on the Starbucks red cup controversy and it is a beautiful reminder of our call to love. If you're not familiar with what has been going on,...
What If The Best Raise You Ever Got Was Spending More Time With Your Family
This video serves as a humorous reminder of how to keep our priorities focused on the family. Canadian advertising company UNION made the video, entitled “Employee Appreciation Day,” for Strategy Online's Agency of the Year awards. The depiction of employees running...
5 Tips to Welcome “Christmas Catholics” to Mass (and avoid being Saturday Night Live’s Christmas Mass Parody)
This skit from Saturday Night Live has been making rounds on both Catholic and non-Catholic blogs since it aired last December. Surprisingly respectful for the most part, SNL over exaggerates several of the people and scenarios we may encounter at Christmas Mass. I...
“Angels We Have Heard On High” As You’ve Never Heard It Before!
The event that we are about to celebrate brings not only joy to ourselves, but to the entire universe. As Catholics, and especially in the liturgy, we are invited to a cosmic celebration. What are we celebrating? Two "yes"s; that is, first, God's "mankind" in...
Christmas Mall Flash Mob – So Beautiful!
The people in this food court are quietly enjoying their lunch when it is rudely interrupted by a shout of “Alleluia!” In the faces of the people, we see suspicion. But gradually they change, hostility vanishes, parents reassure their children, and instead, we see...
Mary, Did You Know? – What A Song Teaches Us About The Incarnation
In what is probably one of the most popular versions of the traditional Christmas song to come out, acapella group Pentatonix gained more than 21 million views on their rendition of “Mary Did You Know?” in just one month of being on Youtube. With a fresh, catchy...
Advent Explained In Just 2 Minutes!
oday's video is a great 2 minute presentation of Advent that covers all the basics. This is a time of active waiting, of preparing our hearts, of forming our minds, and improving our lives for the coming of the Lord Jesus. An excellent way to...
5 Ways Jesus Shows Us How To Be A Good Gift Giver
I recently spoke to a group of youth here in Italy and asked: "How long does the pleasure from getting something like a new iPhone last?" Surprisingly –or perhaps not– more than one (in different situations) responded: "2 weeks." How often is that we break our backs...
“Born is the King” – A Beautiful Music Video By Hillsong
Today we present the music video Born is the King from the well-known Australian group Hillsong United. The song is part of the “Born is the King” album and captures the spirit of Advent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Qf6OoAZbAQg...
An Unexpected Christmas: These Kids Rock, Again!
Today's video is another great one thanks to St. Paul Art's and Media. It gives us a backstage pass to the first scene of Christmas from Heaven's point of view. A Deeper Look At The Nativity The video's script has a basic structure: God states the problem; the angels...
How To Find The Peace Of Christ During The Stress Of Christmas
This exceptionally well-done clip from The Skit Guys on Peace in the Advent season may take you by surprise if you are a frequent viewer of videos by Tommy Woodward and Eddie James. The Skit Guys, friends since high school, are known more for their hilarious videos...
The Boy Who Learned to Share
Part of growing up is learning to share. Sometimes however we fail to recall the verb we just used: learning. Learning means effort, sacrifice, decision. It isn’t something that just appears in your heart one day, you have to want it! Today’s video is a beautiful...
Advent is More Than A Waiting Game
ver noticed that when you wait in line for something, your desire grows? Or how the aroma of the sizzling steak on the grill whets the appetite? Or how about the phone call from a loved one that says he or she is arriving in just a few minutes? The...
The Christmas Truce: Would You Take The Risk?
Imagine yourself in a muddy, filthy trench. You've been lying there for days, perhaps even for weeks. You're not sure what strange powers that be put you there, but there you are. 50 meters away, others are caught in a similar situation - although they speak a little...
Christmas: The Most Absurd Claim in History?! This Video Explains it All
The very idea of Christmas is completely absurd. The mighty God as a little baby?! That's the most outrageous claim of any Faith in history. Yet, if God is love, nothing else would do. A great reflection by Christopher Stefanick. A Child Is Born...
To Avoid Being A Christmas Hypocrite We Must Do More Than Decorate, Bake, and Sing
Today's video reveals the inner match that goes on between the "religiously-correct" speeches that we give and the reality that we live. "The authenticity of our faith is always being tested, especially during Christmas. It's not just our words that matter. It's our...
Video Reflections for the 4 Weeks of Advent with Fr. Pontifex
"The Advent season is time for us to slow down, pray and to seek to vigilant for the coming of Jesus Christ. Our cues from secular culture can easily move us in the opposite direction, becoming more frantic and materialistic. We may become feel the need to work hard...
Asking Is Believing: What Can Santa Claus Teach Us About Faith?
While passengers at Toronto and Hamilton International Airports were waiting to board their flight to Calgary, a virtual Santa Claus learned what passengers wanted for Christmas. After everyone boarded their flights, 150 merry WestJetters became Santa’s...