The Feast of the Presentation

We have a truly unusual situation this Sunday.  Under normal circumstances, it would be the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, but it just so happens that this year, the Feast of the Presentation (pegged to Feb. 2) falls on the Sunday and “outranks” the regular Lord’s Day obligation.  The result is that many persons who do not regularly attend daily mass will have the rare experience of celebrating the full liturgy for the Feast of the Presentation. 

The Presentation of the Lord (The Mass Readings Explained)

This week's video is now out for the Gospel Reading and the 2nd reading at mass.  Check out the intros below.

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Enjoy!

The First "Biblemas" Ever! Readings for the Feast of the Word of God

For the first time in the history of the Church, we are celebrating the Feast of the Word of God this Sunday, the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time.  By his beautiful motu proprio “Aperuit Illis”, Pope Francis established a new feast day to be observed every year on the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, celebrating the Word of God.  It is the Mass of the Bible, or “Biblemas.”  Get your Biblemas cards now!  They are going fast!  Put up your Biblemas tree!

The Third Sunday of OT is a wise choice for the observance of this feast day, because it is on the Third Sunday that we begin the ad seriatim or sequential reading of the Gospel of the year that will continue until the end of November. 

Jesus' Public Ministry Begins (The Mass Readings Explained)

This week's video is now out.  Check out the intro below, and you can sign up for the full length videos and full features of this series at Catholic Productions.

The Afterglow of the Baptism: 2nd Sunday of OT

The Second Sunday of OT is one of those “unofficial” feast days in the Church’s calendar, which aren’t given a name, but due to the Readings that always occur on them, have a unique and particular character to them.  The Second Sunday of OT might be called “Afterglow Sunday,” and every third year it is the “Feast of the Wedding at Cana.”   

Why is this? The Readings for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time this year are like a “holy hangover” from the Feasts of Epiphany and Baptism that we celebrated last week.  Traditionally, three events of our Lord’s life have been celebrated clumped together around January 6, between the Christmas season and the transition to ordinary time.  These are the arrival of the magi (Epiphany), the Baptism, and the Wedding at Cana.  These are the three events in the various Gospels that “manifest” or show forth Jesus’ glory at the beginning of his life or career: the Magi in Matthew, the Baptism in Mark and Luke, and the Wedding at Cana in John.   

FREE Bible Conference in Santa Maria, CA on February 14-16, 2020

Please consider joining John Kincaid and me for a special Bible Conference at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in scenic Santa Maria, California, this coming February 15. The event is FREE. We will be speaking out the theme of my new book, Salvation.

Indeed, salvation is at the very heart of the Gospel message. But, we might ask, what is salvation? It is more than simply getting out of hell. It is more than just going to heaven. It is more than just a moment.

I am very excited about this event! If you'd like to learn more, here is the flyer.

The Lamb of God (The Mass Readings Explained)

This week's video for The Mass Readings Explained is now available.

Check it out below and subscribe today for full access to the Gospel video as well as the video for the 2nd reading on St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians.

The Feast of the Baptism

Happy Feast of the Baptism!  The celebration of the Lord's baptism brings to a close the Christmas season.  (In the extraordinary form calendar, the Christmas season continues till Feb. 2, the Feast of the Presentation.  Thus, the custom of some of leaving their Christmas tree up until "Ground Hog Day.")  We are sad to leave behind the beautiful mysteries surrounding the birth of Our Lord on which we have been meditating for the past several weeks, but the tenderness of the childhood of the Lord must give way to the maturity of his manhood and the beginning of his public ministry.  John the Baptist, that greatest of prophets and remarkable saint, has been accompanying us almost from the start of Advent, and makes a critical appearance once again in the Gospel for this feast.  John plays the role of both priest and prophet as he mediates the washing and anointing of the King, the Son of David, in the waters of the Jordan.  Traditionally, each new Son of David was washed and anointed before beginning his reign, so the Baptism in a sense marks the beginning of Jesus' reign over his kingdom.  Shortly afterwards, he will inaugurate his earthly ministry with the royal proclamation: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (i.e. is here!).

The Baptism of the Lord (The Mass Readings Explained)

This week's video for The Mass Readings Explained is now out.  Check it out below.

If you'd like to subscribe to watch the full version, you can do so at the link above.  Enjoy.

The Readings for Epiphany!

The word “Epiphany” comes from two Greek words: epi, “on, upon”; and phaino, “to appear, to shine.” Therefore, the “Epiphany” refers to the divinity of Jesus “shining upon” the earth, in other words, the manifestation of his divine nature.

The Feast of the Epiphany has an interesting history, and arose from the commemoration of various events in the childhood or early ministry of Our Lord in which his divinity was revealed.