Sermon Central
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Pre-Christmas Novena
Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 12, 2022 (message contributor)
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1. God Gives His Wisdom Even To Sinners
Contributed on Dec 12, 2022
To Jesus, Son of God and son of Mary, we must all pledge obedience and honor, and trust in Him for our salvation.
Novena pre-Christmas Dec 17 Today we begin what is known as the pre-Christmas novena, nine days of celebration that ends with the Nativity of Jesus celebration on December 25. In our Vespers celebration this evening, the Divine Office prescribes the use of the first of the “O” antiphons when we ...read more
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2. Disciples On Fire Like The Burning Bush
Contributed on Dec 12, 2022
Jeremiah’s God was not a center of vengeance, but of love for His people, Israel.
December 18 of pre-Christmas Novena The “O” antiphon we heard before the Gospel, which will be repeated during our Evening Prayer later today, prays: “O Adonai, [sacred Lord] of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai: O come, stretch ...read more
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3. Do We Believe The Word Of God, Or Not?
Contributed on Dec 14, 2022
What were they thinking and how did they feel about the divine interventions they and their wives were experiencing?
Pre-Christmas Novena: December 19 Our antiphon for Evening Prayer and the Gospel Introduction is "O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up a sign for all peoples; kings are silent in your presence; nations bow down in worship. O Come, let nothing prevent you from aiding us." ...read more
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4. Ahaz, Isaiah And The Call Of The Virgin
Contributed on Dec 15, 2018
We need to listen to His word, and say with Mary, “I am the servant of the Lord, let His will be done in my life.”
December 20 Pre-Christmas Novena The richness of today’s Scripture lessons cannot be exaggerated. There is so much here that literally books have been written about two passages. We are tempted to exegesis instead of exhortation, but without a little of the former, the latter is made ...read more
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5. Leaping Like A Yearling Deer
Contributed on Dec 19, 2020
Our Lord is eager to instruct us and enable us to be like Him, to show ourselves in the image and likeness of God.
Dec 21 Pre-Christmas novena A little over a half-century ago this month that I fell in love with a woman for the first and last time, and so I have a particular affection for the readings we just heard from Sacred Scripture. You hear about a woman in love here, anticipating the arrival of her ...read more
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6. Attaining True Human Dignity
Contributed on Dec 18, 2021
During this Christmas season, it makes sense that we should follow Mary’s prophetic declaration, “all generations will call me blessed”, by praying her prayer, the Magnificat, and asking God to give us the same spirit of obedience she had.
December 22 The Magnificat Today's vesper antiphon speaks to Jesus as the "King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart." One of the now "traditional" movies lots of people see each Christmas is one set in the middle of the last century. It's called ...read more
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7. Two Days Before Christmas
Contributed on Dec 11, 2021
When Zechariah has an opportunity to perform restitution to God for his lack of faith, he writes boldly on his tablet the words of the angel, “his name shall be John.”
Homily for Two Days before Christmas December 23 Today our Evening Prayer antiphon recognizes Jesus as "Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people," and begs Him to come set us free from our sins. So we return to the story we began a few days ago, in ...read more
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8. The Fulfillment Of The Promise To David
Contributed on Dec 19, 2022
David feels pretty embarrassed that he and his family are living in a cedar-paneled palace, while the sanctuary of the Lord is, well, just an elaborate tent.
Christmas Novena December 24 There is no special “O” antiphon today, because this evening the Church kind of stops its Advent preparation and sings “when the sun rises” we will see the Lord coming forth like a bridegroom from His chamber. So we heard the ancient tale from the days of the flawed ...read more
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9. Restoring Parent-Offspring Relationships
Contributed on Dec 19, 2023
Repent of any family sins we may have on our consciences.
Saturday before Christmas 2023 There is only one God, and He is not inside His own creation, of course. That’s not a spatial or temporal statement, because God transcends space and time; God is other than space and time. He exists, but it is unwise to call God the “Supreme Being” because that ...read more
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10. Is This Your God, Or Just My God?
Contributed on Dec 17, 2024
Isaiah reminds the king that the LORD is, indeed, his God.
Homily for December 20, five days before Christmas. 2024 Isaiah had to be one of the most frustrated prophets in the OT. He constantly challenged the leaders and people of Israel to return to the LORD, their God, and give up the sordid rites of the Canaanite peoples who inhabited the Holy Land ...read more