On the outside, sometimes it can look like I have it all together. The truth is that my life would fall apart if it wasn’t for Jesus. Even if all the external and material things were the same, I would be missing part of the only part of my life that really gives me peace…. [Read More]
Beginning Advent With A Challenge
This year, the number of days in this holiday season are the shortest it possibly can be. 27 days. Just 27 days separate Thanksgiving and Christmas. Perhaps, As a result this begins to explain how and why retailers have combated the unusually short shopping window by putting out Christmas merchandise even earlier than normal. Completely… [Read More]
Holy Innocents, Then and Now
The past few years a feast day in the Catholic Church I had paid little attention to began to stand out to me: The Feast of the Holy Innocents. I don’t know why this Feast Day began to stand out to me a few years ago. Perhaps it is the reminder of innocent lives lost,… [Read More]
Let Us Make Haste…
I see a preacher. A natural teacher. A simple man, standing at the lectern, in the church full, at Midnight Mass. I see him speaking kindly, periodically gesturing with an open hand, pausing to smile at times, pausing to let us think. I see his eyes gaze over his people with a heart full of… [Read More]
Making Room
Yesterday at mass we heard one of the infancy narratives, the one from Matthew (at Tuesday daily mass – right now it’s Wednesday night!). We’re getting closer and closer to end of the Advent season and the start of Christmas, so we’re starting to hear more about Christ’s birth. On Christmas (well, at the Midnight Mass),… [Read More]
Beauty of Truth Podcast – Ep 17 – What is Advent?
[powerpress] Ep 1 – What is Advent? Questions Why do we use purple before Christmas? When should I decorate for Christmas? When will Jesus come again? Catechetical Moment CCC #524 Living the Truth How can we celebrate advent to the fullest? Hosted by Casey Truelove and Cristobal Almanza Feedback Line Number: (512) 200-ACNM… [Read More]
A Real Baby
“No, he was a REAL baby!” my six year old daughter insists, eye brows lifted as she explains to her four year old sister. “It’s not a just story!” My four year old’s blue eyes are wide as she looks off out the window, pondering. Jesus was a real baby. Even as an adult, I… [Read More]
He humbled Himself
As soon as Thanksgiving ends and the consumer world starts promoting and selling Christmas in earnest, I feel like I immediately start to hear from the Catholic media sphere the repeated mantra warning us against the spirit of materialism: Focus on the reason for the season, don’t get stressed out over Christmas shopping and buying stuff, don’t… [Read More]
Life is Not an Emergency: Preparing for Advent
Several months ago, a friend gave me the book, “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp. Admittedly, it’s not the kind of book you can just breeze through in one sitting. It’s a hardcover meant to be enjoyed, over the course of many a couch sitting, preferably with a hot cup of tea. Precisely the kind… [Read More]
Keeping Advent Holy
Ahhhh, it’s almost December! What a wonderful time of year! We have SO many plans to make it an amazing time for our family! And we have so much to do! We get down décor from the attic. We put together a tree. We start making Christmas lists. The office Christmas party is marked the… [Read More]
Las Posadas and the Devil at the Nativity
I was born and raised here in Texas, but spent almost every Christmas of my childhood with my family in Mexico. Growing up in a very Catholic family, it was almost like a yearly pilgrimage we took to return to family and celebrate the birth of our Savior. We just celebrated Rorate Sunday (4th Sunday… [Read More]
The Art of Making a Good Advent
During the past few years I have found that the first Sunday of Advent, much like its secular equivalent of New Year’s Day on January 1, is a great time of looking forward with hope and anticipation, a chance to “restart the spiritual clock” and to reflect on what we can do to better prepare… [Read More]
Sunday Says Podcast: December 4, 2011 Readings and Reflections
[powerpress] December 4, 2011 – Second Sunday of Advent Skip to 4:25 minute mark to go to reflection. First Reading Isiah 40:1-5, 9-11 Responsorial Psalm Psalm 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14 Second Reading 2 Peter 3:8-14 Gospel Mark 1:1-8 Reflection done by Cristobal Almanza – @SoulPainter Theme song – Ignite – Soundwave soundwave.cc Feedback Line Number: (512) 200-ACNM (2266) feedback@austincnm.com http://www.austincnm.com
The Advent of Black Friday Shopping
Thanksgiving is an American holiday, but it is deeply based in Christian tradition. We give thanks only because there is someone that gives us the blessings we receive. It is a wonderful day that gives us an opportunity to gather with our loved ones and be grateful. The day after Thanksgiving Day has become known… [Read More]
