Who hasn't felt discouraged at some point in life? We all know how it feels when things don't go the way we want or expect. John the Baptist was feeling that way in today's Gospel. He is languishing in prison, wondering if all that he said and did had any meaning. Jesus didn't look like the common image of the Messiah. He wasn't a great political leader who would overthrow the Roman oppressors and restore Israel to glory. John's faith is shaken and so he tells his followers to seek out Jesus and ask him, "Are you the one?"
Up Next in Year A
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4th Sunday of Advent
This week's Gospel tells us how the "birth of Jesus Christ came about." More specifically, it tells us how an angel appeared to Joseph, explaining to him that Mary's son would save the people from their sins. While Joseph might not have understood it at the time, we know that Jesus is the fulfill...
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Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
When we think of the story of Christmas, we usually think of the "infancy narrative" of Luke's Gospel: Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, no room in the inn, Jesus laid in the manger, angels, and shepherds. This is the familiar account of Christ's birth, and we are surrounded by reminders of...
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Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of...
Today is a beautiful and important feast in the life of the Church. Our focus today isn't on starting the new year—although that is certainly reason for celebration, and what better way is there to start out the new year than by going to Mass? Our focus today is on Mary and her motherhood. There ...
