There are many paradoxes in our Christian Faith. For example, there are three Persons in one God; this God made something out of nothing; God's mother is one of his creations, etc. It can be easy to respond by simply ignoring the discrepancies. But these paradoxes are not meant to be ignored. They are mysteries of our Faith, not meant to be kept secret, but to be unveiled by God himself.
One of the greatest mysteries of our Faith is that there can be profound joy even in the depths of the worst suffering, and this is the mystery that the Church draws to our attention on Gaudete Sunday. In the midst of a season of penance and waiting, we find ourselves celebrating a day completely devoted to joy!
Up Next in Year B
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4th Sunday of Advent—December 24, 2017
When we are asked to entrust our lives to someone, we should consider whom we are entrusting them to very carefully. Many of us entrust our lives to our spouses, but not before careful discernment, time, and prayer. Have you ever considered entrusting your life to God? Have you gotten to know him...
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The Holy Family—December 31, 2017
The first two readings today focus on the relationships with our family. We are told that honoring and respecting our father is of the highest importance and, if we are faithful to this call, we will be blessed by God. When we read the Gospel, the theme changes from focusing on our earthly family...
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The Epiphany of the Lord—January 7, 2017
The magi in today's Gospel had the wisdom and openness to see the light of the star and follow it. They were on watch, just as we were during Advent, and had a heart willing to follow the light that they saw. They set aside the tasks of daily life in order to worship the Messiah. Are we willing t...