03 January 2020
Bring Christ Into Your Family
The birth of Christ happened during a hectic and dangerous time for the Holy Family. They were on the run from Herod's executioners, huddled in a stable because it was the only shelter they could find, and fearful for their future and their place in the world. Many would look at their situation and see only destitute people, but we are called to see in the Holy Family the very model for our lives.
To understand the Holy Family more fully, we should begin with Saint Joseph, because his role is the easiest to imagine. He was the protector and provider for his family, which is the role every husband and father is called to fulfill. The bible doesn't tell us all that much about Joseph, but that may just mean that he performed his duties quietly.
Pope Benedict XVI said of Saint Joseph, "Let us allow ourselves to be 'infected' by the silence of Saint Joseph! We have much need of it in a world which is often too noisy, which does not encourage reflection and listening to the voice of God."
We can imagine that Saint Joseph must have been a man of prayer in order to guide his family safely through the dangers they faced around the time of Christ's birth. When we use our logic to fill in the gaps of the silent witness of Saint Joseph, we find a man of wisdom who used his talents to provide for his family, to keep them safe, and to seek out and create a peaceful environment in which Christ could grow into the man He needed to be.
Understanding Mary in relation to Saint Joseph brings the Holy Family further into focus. Let's face it, Mary asked a lot of Joseph - to be father to a son they did not conceive together, to live with her in a state of perpetual virginity, and what they had to endure at the very outset of their marriage, being hunted and living in fear for their lives. Yet, everything Mary asked of Joseph came from God, and he knew that, so we see a relationship between the two of them as one based on trust and sacrifice for the greater good.
That greater good came in the form of the person of Christ. With the birth of Christ, we see the blessings and trials of the Holy Family beginning to reflect the blessings and trials of our own families. To be a family is to have profound gifts showered upon us by God. It is a chance to live in a harmonious relationship with others, sharing gifts with one another, strengthening each other through the bonds we form, and being willing to sacrifice to protect each other.
But with these gifts come profound struggles, and we see that the Holy Family faced such struggles at the very outset. They also had the answer to those struggles in the birth of Jesus. And, by welcoming Him into our hearts, we make Him present in our own families.
What did Christ bring to the Holy Family that He brings to us as well? He brings a dynamic of love that is unlike anything the world ever knew before His coming. That is what sustained the Holy Family throughout their trials and what can sustain any family today that turns to Christ with openness to the sacrifice He is asking each of us to make for one another.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column, written by Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M, of The Christophers' Board of Directors; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
The Christophers
To understand the Holy Family more fully, we should begin with Saint Joseph, because his role is the easiest to imagine. He was the protector and provider for his family, which is the role every husband and father is called to fulfill. The bible doesn't tell us all that much about Joseph, but that may just mean that he performed his duties quietly.
Pope Benedict XVI said of Saint Joseph, "Let us allow ourselves to be 'infected' by the silence of Saint Joseph! We have much need of it in a world which is often too noisy, which does not encourage reflection and listening to the voice of God."
We can imagine that Saint Joseph must have been a man of prayer in order to guide his family safely through the dangers they faced around the time of Christ's birth. When we use our logic to fill in the gaps of the silent witness of Saint Joseph, we find a man of wisdom who used his talents to provide for his family, to keep them safe, and to seek out and create a peaceful environment in which Christ could grow into the man He needed to be.
Understanding Mary in relation to Saint Joseph brings the Holy Family further into focus. Let's face it, Mary asked a lot of Joseph - to be father to a son they did not conceive together, to live with her in a state of perpetual virginity, and what they had to endure at the very outset of their marriage, being hunted and living in fear for their lives. Yet, everything Mary asked of Joseph came from God, and he knew that, so we see a relationship between the two of them as one based on trust and sacrifice for the greater good.
That greater good came in the form of the person of Christ. With the birth of Christ, we see the blessings and trials of the Holy Family beginning to reflect the blessings and trials of our own families. To be a family is to have profound gifts showered upon us by God. It is a chance to live in a harmonious relationship with others, sharing gifts with one another, strengthening each other through the bonds we form, and being willing to sacrifice to protect each other.
But with these gifts come profound struggles, and we see that the Holy Family faced such struggles at the very outset. They also had the answer to those struggles in the birth of Jesus. And, by welcoming Him into our hearts, we make Him present in our own families.
What did Christ bring to the Holy Family that He brings to us as well? He brings a dynamic of love that is unlike anything the world ever knew before His coming. That is what sustained the Holy Family throughout their trials and what can sustain any family today that turns to Christ with openness to the sacrifice He is asking each of us to make for one another.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column, written by Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M, of The Christophers' Board of Directors; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
The Christophers
Reflecrion Starter from G. K. Chesterton
"The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective." - Gilbert K. Chesterton
02 January 2020
Choir Of King's College: "Away in a Manger"
As our Christmas celebration continues, I offer this version of the Choir Of King's College, Cambridge, UK, presenting "Away in a Manger":
Sean Fitzpatrick on Having a New Heart for a New Year
"As Time cries, 'Advance!', we look back on a year
that might fill the mouth of Time with lamentation. The Syrian civil
war, the Christchurch mosque massacre, economic collapse in Venezuela,
Hong Kong protests, the El Paso Walmart shooting, the Sri Lanka Easter
terror attack, the Notre-Dame fire, and political upheaval in America.
What is the common man to conclude when considering the depravations and
deprivations of his fellows as church bells chime on New Year's Eve?
"There is no better tale to ring an old year out and a new year in than Charles Dickens's The Chimes. This little story by the great storyteller deals with the temptation to look back on the tragedies of a year gone by with dejection, even believing that man is 'born bad.' While Catholics do not believe that man is born bad, it is difficult not to believe that he has become bad. The year 2019 had its share of corroborating crises, and The Chimes offers timely advice for 2020 as we advance."
In a recent commentary, writer Sean Fitzpatrick, Headmaster of Gregory the Great Academy (Elmhurst Township, PA), reflected on the admonitions offered in The Chimes, including the need to advance with an open heart and an open hand and the need to reach to the fallen and raise them to the limit of our strength.
To access Mr. Fitzpatrick's complete essay, please visit:
Crisis Magazine: A New Heart for a New Year, Always! (31 DEC 19)
"There is no better tale to ring an old year out and a new year in than Charles Dickens's The Chimes. This little story by the great storyteller deals with the temptation to look back on the tragedies of a year gone by with dejection, even believing that man is 'born bad.' While Catholics do not believe that man is born bad, it is difficult not to believe that he has become bad. The year 2019 had its share of corroborating crises, and The Chimes offers timely advice for 2020 as we advance."
In a recent commentary, writer Sean Fitzpatrick, Headmaster of Gregory the Great Academy (Elmhurst Township, PA), reflected on the admonitions offered in The Chimes, including the need to advance with an open heart and an open hand and the need to reach to the fallen and raise them to the limit of our strength.
To access Mr. Fitzpatrick's complete essay, please visit:
Crisis Magazine: A New Heart for a New Year, Always! (31 DEC 19)
Reflection Starter from St. Basil the Great
"We should not express our prayer merely in syllables, but the power of prayer should be expressed in the moral attitude of our soul and in the virtuous actions that extend throughout our life. . . . This is how you pray continually - not by offering prayer in words, but by joining yourself to God through your whole way of life, so that your life becomes one continuous and uninterrupted prayer." - Saint Basil the Great, whose memory the Church celebrates today (2 January)
01 January 2020
Babbie Mason and Jessy Dixon: "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy"
As our holy day and Christmas celebration continues, I offer this version of Babbie Mason and Jessy Dixon presenting "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy":
Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord, the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Today the Church celebrates the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord, the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. The assigned readings are Numbers 6:22-27, Galatians 4:4-7, and Luke 2:16-21. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 67 (Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Psalm 67 – May God bless us in his mercy
The Gospel reading is as follows:
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Reflections related to these readings and this feast day:
Community in Mission: The Many Meanings of January 1st - A Homily (31 DEC 19)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sunday Reflections: Mary. Mother of God (January 1, 2020)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Mary. Mother of God (January 1, 2020)
Crossroads Initiative: Mary, the Mother of God?
The Sacred Page: The Solemnity of Mary Mother of God (30 DEC 19)
Aleteia: Philip Kosloski: Why Mary's motherhood should give us comfort and security (1 JAN 20)
Spirituality of the Readings: Calm (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
In Exile: The Mother Tongue (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
Let the Scriptures Speak: Mary Mother of God (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
The Word Engaged: First the Savor, Then the Sending (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by John Chrysostom (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Psalm 67 – May God bless us in his mercy
The Gospel reading is as follows:
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Reflections related to these readings and this feast day:
Community in Mission: The Many Meanings of January 1st - A Homily (31 DEC 19)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sunday Reflections: Mary. Mother of God (January 1, 2020)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Mary. Mother of God (January 1, 2020)
Crossroads Initiative: Mary, the Mother of God?
The Sacred Page: The Solemnity of Mary Mother of God (30 DEC 19)
Aleteia: Philip Kosloski: Why Mary's motherhood should give us comfort and security (1 JAN 20)
Spirituality of the Readings: Calm (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
In Exile: The Mother Tongue (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
Let the Scriptures Speak: Mary Mother of God (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
The Word Engaged: First the Savor, Then the Sending (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by John Chrysostom (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God)
Maggie Green on the Hope that Christ Will Bring Our Children Back to the Faith
"We could feel tremors before the break, the shift
in how she spoke, in how she treated others. We could see his heart
hardening to God, to the Church, to us. Some would say that's
adolescence, but it always felt like more.
"Praying, engaging, hugging, creating special time - we did all of that and it kept our relationships alive, like blowing on the embers. We weren't saints about it, we were parents. We'd be too hard, too soft, too talky, too quiet, too prayerful, and yet not witnessing enough. It felt like trying to maintain a sandcastle against the high tide of the world. It felt like the world would win and children would leave. As parents, it felt like the waves crashing over."
In a recent commentary, writer Maggie Green reflected on the soul searching that goes on when someone we love leaves the faith and on the importance of remembering that it is Jesus who will win them for Himself.
To access Ms. Green's complete post, please visit:
Catholic Exchange: Maggie Green: I Still Have Hope That Christ Will Bring My Kids Back to the Faith (30 DEC 19)
"Praying, engaging, hugging, creating special time - we did all of that and it kept our relationships alive, like blowing on the embers. We weren't saints about it, we were parents. We'd be too hard, too soft, too talky, too quiet, too prayerful, and yet not witnessing enough. It felt like trying to maintain a sandcastle against the high tide of the world. It felt like the world would win and children would leave. As parents, it felt like the waves crashing over."
In a recent commentary, writer Maggie Green reflected on the soul searching that goes on when someone we love leaves the faith and on the importance of remembering that it is Jesus who will win them for Himself.
To access Ms. Green's complete post, please visit:
Catholic Exchange: Maggie Green: I Still Have Hope That Christ Will Bring My Kids Back to the Faith (30 DEC 19)
Reflection Starter from Numbers
"The LORD said to Moses: 'Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.'" - Numbers 6:22-27 (This is the First Reading from today's liturgical celebration, The Octave Day of Christmas/Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.)
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.'" - Numbers 6:22-27 (This is the First Reading from today's liturgical celebration, The Octave Day of Christmas/Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.)
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