How to prepare for Advent in a digital age
It is a truth universally acknowledged by Catholics that the season of Advent is never long enough to properly prepare for Christmas. No matter if it is the full four…
Being faithful in the little things during Advent
We are drawing near to the season of Advent — a season of anticipation, hope and arrival. However, Advent, at least in my household, has the sad tendency to get…
Finding the light in my darkness: A Christmas reflection
Where I live, it is dark by 4 in the afternoon come December. As a child, like many children, I was afraid of the dark. So my siblings and I…
Reflecting on St. Joseph during Advent
“All is calm.” These words are found in one of the season’s most famous Christmas songs, “Silent Night.” But what went on in the background during the night of Jesus’…
Allowing ourselves to be weary pilgrims this Advent
Displayed in a small side chapel of Sant’Agostino in Rome is an arresting painting by the great Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The work, “Madonna of the Pilgrims,” shocks…
Decluttering our hearts to make room for Jesus
I’m not very good at keeping house. I have great plans of having a beautifully organized home with everything in its place, but it rarely comes to fruition. A few…
4 resolutions for your liturgical New Year
My favorite Advent greeting is “Happy New Year!” The greeting is technically accurate since Advent is the start of the liturgical year. And it reminds me that this time is…
The Advent book every woman should read
How many Christmas cards portray an image of the Holy Family as the snow falls gently at Jesus’ Nativity? And there we see Mary, the Mother of God, nestled right…
What the Incarnation means for a bride of Christ
During my college years, the mystery of the Incarnation ceased to be just a historical event and instead became a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. I would have never dreamed…
Recognizing the potential of our own hearts this Christmas
Growing up, one of my favorite Advent and Christmas traditions was reading from “The Advent Book” with my family. It was through this beautifully illustrated board book that I returned…