In recent years, there’s been considerable controversy over the vocabulary we as practicing Christians should use during this season. Should we say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” or, more confusingly, go with the British “Happy Christmas”? The concern over our seasonal greeting is well-intended. In the midst of an ever …

In the seventh chapter in the Book of Isaiah (NABRE) and the first chapter in the Gospel According to Matthew (NABRE), we encounter two of the three times in the Bible where the Hebrew word Immanuel appears. The third occurs in eighth chapter in the Book of Isaiah (NABRE). Since …

On the third Sunday in Advent, the Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday. Along with the fourth Sunday of Lent (called Laetare Sunday), Gaudete Sunday marks one of only two occasions in the liturgical year in which members of the ordained clergy wear rose-colored vestments. Both Sundays share the common theme of …

In the Gospel According to Matthew 3:1–12 (NABRE), Jesus’ cousin John preaches the importance of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In the system of the Old Covenant, forgiveness occurred when something of value was traded in payment for a debt that had been incurred. The concept of redemption describes …

In the Letter to the Romans 13:11 (NABRE), Paul urges that now is the hour to be awake and alert in preparation for the coming of the Lord. This passage is meant to convey considerable urgency and to persuade readers to remain constantly prepared for the return of Christ, an …

The Letter to the Colossians 1:15 (NABRE) contains a beautiful and powerful description of the kingship of Jesus Christ, and one of the key points in that description is that Jesus came before all other creatures as the firstborn. This seems like an odd concept because as a human person, …

As we approach the end of Ordinary Time, our Mass readings focus on completion and the end or fullness of time. In the Gospel According to Luke 21:5–19 (NABRE), Jesus talks about the eventual destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, which becomes a metaphor for the destruction of all things. …

In the Gospel According to Luke 20:27–38 (NABRE), Jesus talks with the Sadducees about resurrection. In the Gospels, resurrection is an interesting term that is connected with eternal life but not synonymous with it. The Greek word for resurrection is ἀνάστασις (anastasis). This word literally means “standing up” and so also means …

In the Second Letter to the Thessalonians 1:11—2:2 (NABRE), Paul prays that God may make the Thessalonians worthy of their calling. This is quite a significant ask. In our society where we so often feed a sense of entitlement to whatever it is that we want, any sense of worthiness …

In the Second Letter to Timothy 4:7 (NABRE), Paul describes his work spreading the Gospel as an athletic contest or competition that is nearing its completion. This view of serving God may seem foreign to us at first. In a contest, there are winners and losers, a view that may …