Friday, December 29, 2006

December 29 - Augustine Day by Day

A Great Event
Now the Lord established a civilization into which to be born, just as He created a mother from whom to be born. These events we have all celebrated in song.
This He has done who raises up the poor to place them in the company of princes. This is a great event, a great joy!
Commentary on Psalm 86, 7-8

Prayer: Let Christ help you, the Son of the Virgin and the spouse of vigins, physically born of the virginal womb and spiritually joined in virginial marriage! Holy Virginity 2, 2

Monday, December 25, 2006

December 25 - Augustine Day by Day

It is Christ's Birthday!
Rejoice you who are just. It is the birthday of Him who justifies. Rejoice you who are weak and sick. It is the birthday of Him Who makes people well. Rejoice you who are in captivity. It is the birthday of the Redeemer. rejoice you who are slaves. it is the birthday of the Master.
Rejoice you who are free. It is the birthday of Him Who makes us free. Rejoice all you Christians. It is Christ's birthday.
Sermon 184, 2

Prayer: Let us devoutly celebrate this day, For just as the first ones to share our faith adored Christ lying in the manger, let us adore Him reigning in heaven. Sermon 203, 3

Friday, December 22, 2006

2006 St. Mark Christmas Program

Here's a short video of the kids in last night's school Christmas Program.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Nicholas the Alter Boy

This morning at the Children's Mass, Nicholas had the ooportunity to be an Alter Boy for the first time. He's been wanting to do this for some time and finally had the opportunity. He did a great job!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Happy Birthday Kathy!

Happy Birthday to my wife, Kathy. Today she celebrates four decades of being alive!

Holy Father, please bless Kathy. Help her to have a great year and grow in Your grace. Thank you for letting us know Kathy. Help us all grow in love and faith. Help us all to praise You and give You glory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

December 13th: Lucia's Day

Today is the feast of St. Lucia, or St. Lucy of Syracuse. It is a national holiday in Sweden, where my wife's paternal family is from, so every year my wife makes these delicious little Lucia buns (click here for a recipe, not my wife's, though...) for family and friends.

I went to the children's Mass this morning and Fr. Jim spoke of St. Lucy in his homily. He also explained that while he normally would wear red on a feast day of a martyr, he was wearing purple because Advent takes precedence over a feast day of a martyr. He went on to explain that when Bishop Gainer celebrated the children's Mass last Friday, he was wearing white because it was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception which takes precedence over Advent. Once he explained his vestment colors he tied in very nicely St. Lucia's life and martyrdom with the Gospel for the day.

Here's a prayer to St. Lucia I copied from this site:

Saint Lucy, your beautiful name signifies light. By the light of faith which God bestowed upon you, increase and preserve this light in my soul so that I may avoid evil, be zealous in the performance of good works, and abhor nothing so much as the blindness and the darkness of evil and of sin.

By your intercession with God, obtain for me perfect vision for my bodily eyes and the grace to use them for God's greater honor and glory and the salvation of all men.

Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. Amen.

Have a great day!